A Defense of Abortion Paper Summary
A Defense of Abortion is an article detailed by Judith Jarvis Thomson who uses thought experiments to make it clear that the right of the fetus to life does not outperform the right of the pregnant woman to present her stance over her body. Nevertheless, she also believes that induced abortion should not be morally impermissible and this makes it hard for the reader to understand her mind because her decision seems intricate. Reading through the article enables one to draw some points the first being based on measuring the rights of the fetus over the rights of the pregnant mother. The counterargument for this decision is that allowing the mother to die passively is different from killing the fetus actively (Thomson, p.41). All the same, based on Thomson, the decision of the pregnant mother to terminate the pregnancy is a matter of self-defense.
Secondly, Thomson feels it is right to engage the third party, specifically a doctor to assist the mother do away with the pregnancy. Thomson further asserts that the opposers would back her because the body belongs to the woman. After all, forcing her to sacrifice infringes her rights. Thirdly, the mother might be in a compromising situation and so, the intervention of another person may be needed to sustain her right to life and she clarifies her point by using an example of the famous violinist. Following this example, Thomson feels that it would be better for us to risk our lives to save those who are in vulnerable situations (Thomson, p.49). Fourth, the right to life is impacted by the situation that led the mother to become pregnant where rape can be compared to coercing an individual to permit a burglar to stay in your house just because you created a channel where the burglar could find his way into your house. Consensual sex can be associated with permitting an individual to live in your house because they fell into your house. Reflecting on the violinist situation, clearing the violinist from your kidneys is different from killing an individual, even if the violinist lost her life because you lacked the right to your kidneys.
Work Cited
Thomson, Judith Jarvis. “A defense of abortion.” Biomedical ethics and the law. Springer, Boston, MA, 1976. 39-54.