The question of the ethics of abortion revolves around the idea of whether or not the termination of a fetus is immoral or moral. People who are pro-life argue that abortions are unacceptable, and people who are pro-choice argue that abortions are morally permissible. This essay will depict the quality of several arguments for and against the morality of abortion. One well-known philosopher who refuted the idea of abortions is John Noonan. Noonan can be recognized for his opinions on genetic humanity, which is the idea that someone can be considered human from the moment the “conception [of] a new being receives [a] genetic code.” His prominent concept of genetic code helps establish his belief of when a fetus, or any person for that matter,
…show more content…
Another notable philosopher who is against the idea of abortion is Don Marquis. In the eyes of Marquis, abortions are in the “same moral category as killing an innocent adult human being” (Marquis, pg. 183). He dives in deeper to explain that killing a person deprives them of all of the value they possibly have in their future. These can include the “activities, projects, experiences, and enjoyments,” (Marquis, pg.189) of a future personal life. All of these things hold a significant amount of value that should be considered when deciding the ethics of abortion. Marquis’s argument can be applied to several other scenarios, other than the termination of a fetus. The death of a loved one or the killing of an animal also demonstrates how tragic these situations can be because the short ending of a life strips possible potentials and future values. Through this argument, abortions would be considered cruel and unjust. Out of these two philosopher’s arguments, I believe that Don Marquis has the stronger claim. This is due to the fact that Noonan’s argument has several objections that ultimately weaken his take on
Another notable philosopher who is against the idea of abortion is Don Marquis. In the eyes of Marquis, abortions are in the “same moral category as killing an innocent adult human being” (Marquis, pg. 183). He dives in deeper to explain that killing a person deprives them of all of the value they possibly have in their future. These can include the “activities, projects, experiences, and enjoyments,” (Marquis, pg.189) of a future personal life. All of these things hold a significant amount of value that should be considered when deciding the ethics of abortion. Marquis’s argument can be applied to several other scenarios, other than the termination of a fetus. The death of a loved one or the killing of an animal also demonstrates how tragic these situations can be because the short ending of a life strips possible potentials and future values. Through this argument, abortions would be considered cruel and unjust. Out of these two philosopher’s arguments, I believe that Don Marquis has the stronger claim. This is due to the fact that Noonan’s argument has several objections that ultimately weaken his take on