Judith Jarvis Thomson On The Right To Life

Front 1

“standard” pro-life argument

Back 1

1. The fetus is a person.
2. Every person has a right to life.
3. So, the fetus has a right to life.
4. The Mother has a right to decide what will happen to her body.
5. But one person’s right to life is ALWAYS more important than another person’s right to decide what happens to her body.

Front 2

Violinist thought experiment

Back 2

violinist is ill with deadly kidney disease, needs to be hooked up for 9 months, fans find out and hook you up, doctor says if he unplugs you violinist will die, but if you unplug yourself violinist will die

Front 3

What makes this example a counterexample?

Back 3

shows that the general claim is false

Front 4

What makes this example analogous?

Back 4

- the right to life does not include the right to someone else's extreme sacrifice for the sake of that life
- Thomson says that abortion is permissible through the violinist case

Front 5

special bond objection

Back 5

The special bond between a woman and her fetus results in fetus having a right to use her body

Front 6

Thomson's response to emotional bond version

Back 6

it does not exist if there are NO emotions felt on either side (fetus has no emotions, woman has no attachment if she wants abortion)

Front 7

Thomson's response to genetic bond version

Back 7

work needs to be done showing genetic connections mean special responsibilities

Front 8

responsibility objection

Back 8

The fetus has a right to use the woman's body because she is responsible for it's dependency.

Front 9

Thomson's response to responsibility objection (degrees of responsibility)

Back 9

Look to some degree, every pregnancy is the result of woman's actions.
-Rape
-Faulty Contraceptives (99% effective)
-Contraceptive failure (condom break)
-Failure to use contraceptives

Front 10

Thomson's View: responsibility objection

Back 10

- a woman always has a moral right to an abortion
- it is permissible for a woman to have an abortion except when she took no precautions against getting pregnant or when she wants abortion late in pregnancy for a frivolous reason

Front 11

The moral relevance of reasonable precaution

Back 11

responsibility objection only applies to people who use no contraceptives, or use them irregularly, because they took no precautions in terms of getting pregnant

Front 12

Reasonable level of precaution

Back 12

using contraception

Front 13

Uneasonable level of precaution

Back 13

never having sex and having a hysterectomy or using hormonal birth control even while abstaining from sex in case one is raped; never having sex unless you're planning on having a baby

Front 14

Boonin-Vail's Doctor Thought Experiment

Back 14

violinist about to die, doctor gives medicine that will cure or need hook-up after 1 month, month passes, doctor is only kidney match, doesn't think he's obligated b/c violinist wouldn't be alive anyway w/o him

Front 15

Boonin-Vail's Volunteerism Example and Explanation

Back 15

- violinist asks you for hook-up, you agree, after month you don't want to anymore
- just because we agree to help someone have a continued existence, doesn't mean we aren't allowed to change our minds
- woman responsible for fetus can still back out, shows abortion is permissible even if you chose to get pregnant

Front 16

Right to x vs. Permissible to x

Back 16

older brother has right not to share chocolates with younger brother, but it is morally impermissible

Front 17

Under what conditions does Thomson say that a woman has a moral right to an abortion but it might not be morally permissible for her to have one?

Back 17

Abortion is something women always have a right to, even if it is morally impermissible