Introduction
In the field of medicine, ethics and moral status can quickly become a complicated topic. Throughout history, the issue of defining who should receive moral status has continually plagued philosophers, theologians, and scientists. This struggle continues as researchers try to define moral status based on theories such as human and cognitive properties, moral agency, sentience, and relationships (Grand Canyon University, 2016).
Which Theory or Theories Are Being Used
Within this case of moral status, there are many individuals interacting with Jessica, the mother of the child. First, Dr. Wilson insists on informing Jessica of the health status of her baby because it is her right as the patient. He wants to discuss all options, including the scientifically relevant option of abortion. These thoughts and actions fall in line with the theory of moral agency, which suggests that Jessica is a moral agent due to her ability to make decisions about what is right and wrong. …show more content…
Wilson to wait until he believes Jessica is emotionally ready. Although Marco is willing to support Jessica’s choices, he thinks the baby may be a financial burden. Marco is basing his thoughts regarding this issue on a mixture of concepts from the theories of human and cognitive properties, attempting to explain the characteristics of rationality and language for his wife.
Jessica’s aunt believes the baby can be saved through prayer and intervention, while begging Jessica to go through with the pregnancy as “God has intended” (Grand Canyon University, n.d.). Maria implies that Jessica should keep the baby to fulfill her responsibility as a mother. The theory of relationships applies to this