Abortion has been deliberately defined as a termination of a fetus’s capability to have an independent life. A fetus, in its direct sense is any unborn vertebrate possessing almost entirely the physical features normally identified to human beings. Contrary to what has been defined though, philosophers pointed out some criteria that would help classify any entity from moral personhood. Possession of the “C” (commonsense personhood) separates the idea that fetus can be considered as human beings.
Despite the fact that fetus are not considered as moral persons, killing them or having them aborted is not a justified reason of doing such thing. Joel Feinberg concluded that even if fetus’ and infants are not “people” based on the criteria of commonsense personhood, there are still powerful reasons that lay behind their being. This, I shall agree. Fetus, although not given the chance to survive outside his mother’s womb, are persons in some sense. Their human physical features separate them from any other vertebrate, a dog or a dolphin for instance.
Although unborn yet, their potential capacity to speak, to hear, to breath, to smell, to touch, and to comprehend makes them persons. Neither a dog nor a dolphin can do things that a potential human being (fetus) can do. Being conceived by a human being also separates their personhood from any other living creatures in the planet. On the other hand, the philosopher mentioned claims of women having discretionary rights to an abortion. This right varies in a way. Some women out of curiosity become pregnant without getting married at all chose to deliver the baby with the burden all alone.
A testimony from someone came and was asked why she decided to deliver the baby having no one to support the needs of her child. The former then said that having a baby killed cannot solve anything at all. Aborting them would even cause her major disturbances and sufferings in her entire life since killing is such a mortal sin. Such realization helped her decide to deliver the baby. There are also a few who would opt to have the fetus killed before giving them the chance to live as moral persons because of some reasons.
Unwanted sexual intercourse from a rapist resulting to an unwanted pregnancy for instance would somehow cause or inflict some psychological effects on the victim. Exercising their rights to an abortion this time may exist. But in my point of view, no matter how depth is the reason why women got pregnant, whether or not for self-defense or for some sort of property rights over one’s body, abortion is still an abortion. It is still has to do with killing, considered by many and by the Catholic law as mortal sin.
Abortion has always been an issue in different countries. A number of recommendations and proposals have been introduced to promote anti-abortion law. Philippines, for instance, has a government which has greatly discouraged abortion of unwanted pregnancies, and the like. Major complications were identified by the government to help women realized how risky an abortion can be. One can have bladder injury, breast cancer, bowel injury, or even have some negative effects in case of future pregnancies.
Yet, still some are undoubtedly doing it. At any given time, abortion has broadly existed. If in a way, fetus is considered as a person, the subject is not the only person involved in the scene. One also has to consider the existence of a mother, a father, and the other members of the family. Various factors were enumerated by the philosopher that have to be analyzed knowing that approximately 5 persons will be greatly affected with whatever will be the decision of the mother concerned.
The needs, interests, and the welfare of all the affected parties, not just those of the fetus, are considerably associated with the mother’s decision-making. Since major causes and effects are brought by abortion, a series of argumentations seem to appear overtime and has been in the subject of debates for a number of people. Some were consistent but some were just typical with their likes and preferences as to abort or not. References Regan, T. (1986), In Matters of Life and Death, 2nd ed. http://www. ditext. com/feinberg/abortion. html