A Defense of Abortion by Thomson

A Defense of Abortion - Judith Jarvis Thomson

• Premise of Opposition: Most opposition to abortion rests on the premise that a fetus is a human being (a person) from conception. This premise is challenged as not well-supported.

• Continuous Development Argument: The development from conception to birth is continuous, implying that there is no clear dividing line to determine when personhood begins. This is a slippery slope argument, opponents argue.

• Illustrative Argument, Acorn & Oak Tree: The argument is analogous to the development of an acorn into an oak tree, but it's not logically equivalent.

• Personhood Begins Before Birth: The author suggests that personhood likely begins well before birth, as human characteristics are evident earlier in gestation.

• Timeline of Fetal Development: Key characteristics, including facial features, limbs, internal organs, and brain activity, appear by the tenth week of gestation.

• Right to Life & Bodily Autonomy: The author argues that while individuals have a right to life, this right may be balanced against the right of the pregnant person to bodily autonomy (decision-making about her own body).

• Violinist Analogy: A thought experiment involving being kidnapped and connected to a violinist with a life-threatening condition is used to question the premise that a fetus has a right to the mother's body. The mother is not morally bound to sustain the violinist's life if she's been forcibly connected.

• Extreme View on Abortion: The extreme view is that abortion is impermissible even to save the mother's life. This view is deemed problematic and not logically sound.

• Right to Life vs. Bodily Autonomy: The author argues that the right to life of the fetus does not necessarily supersede the pregnant person's right to control her body.

• Exception for Rape: Opponents may allow for exceptions in cases of rape, but their reasoning is inconsistent. The author argues that the origins of the fetus do not determine a right to the mother's body.

• Difference Between Person and Human Being: The author distinguishes between a fetus being a person and just a human being.

• Right to Life and Responsibility: The author questions whether a right to life inherently grants a right to the use of another person's body.

• Minimal Decent Samaritan Argument: Not morally required to make large sacrifices to sustain another's life, unless one has assumed responsibility.

• Summary of Argument: The author concludes that simply claiming a fetus is a person does not make a case for the impermissibility of abortion, considering bodily autonomy and the lack of demonstrable personhood at early gestational stages.

• Importance of Context: Moral considerations about abortion hinge on the specific circumstances and relationships involved.

This quiz explores Judith Jarvis Thomson's arguments in favor of abortion, focusing on the concept of personhood and fetal development. It critically examines the common opposition that hinges on the belief that a fetus is a human being from conception. Through various analogies and developmental timelines, Thomson raises important questions about rights, autonomy, and the moral implications of abortion.