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Abortion Questions for Essay: A Comprehensive Examination
Author: Dr. Eleanor Vance, PhD in Bioethics and Public Health, Professor of Ethics at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Vance has over 20 years of experience researching and teaching on reproductive rights and bioethical dilemmas.
Keyword: abortion questions for essay
Publisher: The Hastings Center, a renowned bioethics research institute known for its rigorous scholarship and commitment to thoughtful public discourse on complex ethical issues.
Editor: Dr. Sarah Miller, PhD in Sociology, specializing in gender studies and reproductive health policy. Dr. Miller has extensive editing experience with academic journals and books on similar topics.
Introduction:
The topic of abortion is inherently complex, eliciting strong emotions and diverse perspectives. Writing an essay on abortion necessitates a careful consideration of numerous ethical, legal, social, and personal dimensions. This article examines the crucial “abortion questions for essay” that students and researchers frequently grapple with, outlining the challenges and opportunities inherent in addressing this contentious subject. We will explore how to approach this sensitive topic with intellectual honesty and nuance, emphasizing the importance of thorough research and balanced argumentation.
I. Ethical Considerations: Key Abortion Questions for Essay
The core of any abortion essay lies in its engagement with ethical frameworks. Several key “abortion questions for essay” fall under this heading:
The moral status of the fetus: This is arguably the most fundamental question. When, if ever, does a fetus acquire the moral right to life? Different ethical theories (utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics) offer varying perspectives. Essays should explore these frameworks, acknowledging the lack of universal consensus and the implications for abortion policy. Examining the arguments around fetal viability, sentience, and potential are crucial for a well-rounded essay.
The rights of the pregnant person: Balancing the potential rights of the fetus with the undeniable rights of the pregnant person is a central challenge. This includes considering bodily autonomy, the right to make decisions about one's own health and future, and the potential impact of unwanted pregnancy on a person’s life, education, and economic well-being. Essays should carefully articulate the complexities of this balance.
The role of religion and morality: Religious and moral beliefs significantly influence attitudes towards abortion. Essays need to acknowledge this influence, analyzing how different religious and philosophical viewpoints shape perspectives on abortion access and legality. However, it is crucial to avoid imposing personal beliefs as objective truth. The essay should focus on analyzing the influence of these beliefs, not necessarily endorsing or refuting them.
The concept of personhood: This is intertwined with the moral status of the fetus. What constitutes personhood? Is it solely biological, or does it encompass consciousness, self-awareness, or the capacity for relationships? Exploring different understandings of personhood is essential for tackling the central “abortion questions for essay.”
II. Legal and Social Dimensions: Framing Abortion Questions for Essay
Beyond ethical considerations, the legal and social context significantly shapes the debate. Essays should address these aspects, exploring questions such as:
The legality of abortion in different jurisdictions: The legal status of abortion varies considerably across the globe. Essays can analyze how legal frameworks reflect and shape societal attitudes towards abortion, examining the impacts of legal restrictions or liberalizations on women's health and reproductive rights.
Access to abortion care: Even in places where abortion is legal, access can be limited due to factors like geographical location, financial constraints, or lack of providers. Essays can explore the social inequalities that exacerbate these disparities, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.
The impact of abortion stigma and social attitudes: Negative social attitudes towards abortion can create barriers to access and support for women seeking this care. Essays should discuss the role of stigma in shaping individual experiences and policy debates. Analyzing the societal impacts of restrictive abortion laws is also relevant here.
The role of government regulation: The level of government intervention in abortion access is a major point of contention. Essays can examine the ethical and practical implications of different regulatory approaches, considering the balance between protecting individual rights and upholding public health.
III. Opportunities and Challenges in Addressing Abortion Questions for Essay
Writing effectively about abortion necessitates navigating several challenges:
Avoiding emotionally charged language: The abortion debate is highly sensitive. Essays should strive for neutral and objective language, avoiding emotionally charged terms that could alienate readers.
Presenting multiple perspectives fairly: Acknowledging and respectfully presenting diverse viewpoints is crucial for a balanced and credible essay. This includes showcasing the arguments of those who support and oppose abortion access.
Supporting claims with evidence-based research: Essays should rely on credible sources to support their arguments, avoiding unsubstantiated claims or anecdotal evidence.
However, there are also significant opportunities:
Promoting nuanced and informed discussion: Essays can contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complex ethical and societal dimensions of abortion.
Highlighting the importance of reproductive rights: Essays can shed light on the fundamental importance of reproductive rights for women's health, equality, and social justice.
Encouraging critical thinking and dialogue: By thoughtfully exploring the “abortion questions for essay,” essays can stimulate critical thinking and encourage constructive dialogue about this complex issue.
Conclusion:
Addressing the diverse “abortion questions for essay” requires careful consideration of ethical frameworks, legal contexts, and social realities. By approaching this challenging topic with intellectual honesty, rigorous research, and a commitment to respectful dialogue, essays can contribute significantly to a more informed and compassionate public discourse on abortion.
FAQs:
1. What are the main ethical arguments for and against abortion? Pro-choice arguments often center on bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom, while pro-life arguments emphasize the moral status of the fetus and the sanctity of life.
2. How does the legal status of abortion affect women's health outcomes? Restrictions on abortion access are linked to increased maternal mortality and morbidity, particularly among marginalized communities.
3. What is the role of socioeconomic factors in abortion decisions? Poverty, lack of access to contraception, and limited healthcare resources often influence decisions about abortion.
4. How do different religious perspectives view abortion? Religious views on abortion vary widely, with some religions strongly opposing it and others holding more nuanced positions.
5. What are the different types of abortion procedures? There are various methods, including medication abortion and surgical abortion, each with its own implications.
6. What is the impact of abortion stigma on women's mental health? Stigma can lead to feelings of shame, guilt, and isolation, potentially impacting mental well-being.
7. How can access to comprehensive sex education affect abortion rates? Improved access to comprehensive sex education is associated with reduced rates of unintended pregnancies and abortions.
8. What are the long-term consequences of restrictive abortion laws? Restrictive laws can lead to unsafe abortions, health complications, and social inequalities.
9. What are some resources for individuals seeking information about abortion? Numerous organizations offer unbiased information and support, including Planned Parenthood and National Abortion Federation.
Related Articles:
1. The Ethics of Abortion: A Philosophical Inquiry: This article explores various philosophical arguments surrounding the morality of abortion, analyzing different ethical frameworks.
2. The Legal Landscape of Abortion in the United States: This article examines the legal history and current status of abortion rights in the US, analyzing landmark court cases and legislative efforts.
3. The Social Impact of Abortion Restrictions on Women's Health: This article focuses on the documented negative consequences of restrictive abortion laws on women's physical and mental health.
4. Abortion Access and Socioeconomic Disparities: This article explores the intersection of socioeconomic status and abortion access, highlighting the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities.
5. The Role of Religion in the Abortion Debate: This article examines the diverse religious perspectives on abortion, analyzing how religious beliefs influence attitudes and policies.
6. The Psychological Impact of Abortion on Women: This article reviews the research on the psychological effects of abortion, examining both positive and negative outcomes.
7. Comparative Analysis of Abortion Laws Across Different Countries: This article compares abortion laws and access in various countries, highlighting global variations and common themes.
8. The Future of Abortion Rights in a Changing Political Landscape: This article analyzes the current political climate and its potential implications for abortion rights globally.
9. Addressing Abortion Stigma Through Public Health Initiatives: This article examines strategies for reducing abortion stigma and improving access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare.
| abortion questions for essay: Thinking Critically About Abortion Nathan Nobis, Kristina Grob, 2019-06-19 This book introduces readers to the many arguments and controversies concerning abortion. While it argues for ethical and legal positions on the issues, it focuses on how to think about the issues, not just what to think about them. It is an ideal resource to improve your understanding of what people think, why they think that and whether their (and your) arguments are good or bad, and why. It's ideal for classroom use, discussion groups, organizational learning, and personal reading. From the Preface To many people, abortion is an issue for which discussions and debates are frustrating and fruitless: it seems like no progress will ever be made towards any understanding, much less resolution or even compromise. Judgments like these, however, are premature because some basic techniques from critical thinking, such as carefully defining words and testing definitions, stating the full structure of arguments so each step of the reasoning can be examined, and comparing the strengths and weaknesses of different explanations can help us make progress towards these goals. When emotions run high, we sometimes need to step back and use a passion for calm, cool, critical thinking. This helps us better understand the positions and arguments of people who see things differently from us, as well as our own positions and arguments. And we can use critical thinking skills help to try to figure out which positions are best, in terms of being supported by good arguments: after all, we might have much to learn from other people, sometimes that our own views should change, for the better. Here we use basic critical thinking skills to argue that abortion is typically not morally wrong. We begin with less morally-controversial claims: adults, children and babies are wrong to kill and wrong to kill, fundamentally, because they, we, are conscious, aware and have feelings. We argue that since early fetuses entirely lack these characteristics, they are not inherently wrong to kill and so most abortions are not morally wrong, since most abortions are done early in pregnancy, before consciousness and feeling develop in the fetus. Furthermore, since the right to life is not the right to someone else’s body, fetuses might not have the right to the pregnant woman’s body—which she has the right to—and so she has the right to not allow the fetus use of her body. This further justifies abortion, at least until technology allows for the removal of fetuses to other wombs. Since morally permissible actions should be legal, abortions should be legal: it is an injustice to criminalize actions that are not wrong. In the course of arguing for these claims, we: 1. discuss how to best define abortion; 2. dismiss many common “question-begging” arguments that merely assume their conclusions, instead of giving genuine reasons for them; 3. refute some often-heard “everyday arguments” about abortion, on all sides; 4. explain why the most influential philosophical arguments against abortion are unsuccessful; 5. provide some positive arguments that at least early abortions are not wrong; 6. briefly discuss the ethics and legality of later abortions, and more. This essay is not a “how to win an argument” piece or a tract or any kind of apologetics. It is not designed to help anyone “win” debates: everybody “wins” on this issue when we calmly and respectfully engage arguments with care, charity, honesty and humility. This book is merely a reasoned, systematic introduction to the issues that we hope models these skills and virtues. Its discussion should not be taken as absolute “proof” of anything: much more needs to be understood and carefully discussed—always. |
| abortion questions for essay: Abortion Rights Kate Greasley, Christopher Kaczor, 2018 Presents critical and forcefully argued debate between two moral philosophers, setting out strong cases on both sides of the argument. |
| abortion questions for essay: Interdisciplinary Views on Abortion Susan A. Martinelli-Fernandez, Lori Baker-Sperry, Heather McIlvaine-Newsad, 2014-01-10 This book examines issues surrounding abortion and abortion practices in the United States through the perspectives of multiple disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, philosophy, community health, theology, and political science. The essays parallel the interdisciplinary nature of feminist and women's studies, situating abortion within a wider understanding of the impact of reproduction on women's lives and their health. The contributing authors provide an accessible summary of the numerous topics surrounding abortion, and the essays reflect both original research and scholarly discourse on existing research and literature. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here. |
| abortion questions for essay: The Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the United States National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Board on Health Care Services, Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, Committee on Reproductive Health Services: Assessing the Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the U.S., 2018-06-24 Abortion is a legal medical procedure that has been provided to millions of American women. Since the Institute of Medicine first reviewed the health implications of national legalized abortion in 1975, there has been a plethora of related scientific research, including well-designed randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and epidemiological studies examining abortion care. This research has focused on examining the relative safety of abortion methods and the appropriateness of methods for different clinical circumstances. With this growing body of research, earlier abortion methods have been refined, discontinued, and new approaches have been developed. The Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the United States offers a comprehensive review of the current state of the science related to the provision of safe, high-quality abortion services in the United States. This report considers 8 research questions and presents conclusions, including gaps in research. |
| abortion questions for essay: Design Mom Gabrielle Stanley Blair, 2015-04-07 New York Times best seller Ever since Gabrielle Stanley Blair became a parent, she’s believed that a thoughtfully designed home is one of the greatest gifts we can give our families, and that the objects and decor we choose to surround ourselves with tell our family’s story. In this, her first book, Blair offers a room-by-room guide to keeping things sane, organized, creative, and stylish. She provides advice on getting the most out of even the smallest spaces; simple fixes that make it easy for little ones to help out around the house; ingenious storage solutions for the never-ending stream of kid stuff; rainy-day DIY projects; and much, much more. |
| abortion questions for essay: The Turnaway Study Diana Greene Foster, 2021-06 Now with a new afterword by the author--Back cover. |
| abortion questions for essay: Arguments about Abortion Kate Greasley, 2017 What is the legal status of abortion and the human fetus? In an extended analysis of mainstream arguments involving abortion and the status of 'personhood' that is often applied to the fetus, this book provides novel answers to some of the core 'pro-life' arguments in favour of recognizing fetal personhood and moral rights. |
| abortion questions for essay: When Abortion Was a Crime Leslie J. Reagan, 2022-02-22 The definitive history of abortion in the United States, with a new preface that equips readers for what’s to come. When Abortion Was a Crime is the must-read book on abortion history. Originally published ahead of the thirtieth anniversary of Roe v. Wade, this award-winning study was the first to examine the entire period during which abortion was illegal in the United States, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century and ending with that monumental case in 1973. When Abortion Was a Crime is filled with intimate stories and nuanced analysis, demonstrating how abortion was criminalized and policed—and how millions of women sought abortions regardless of the law. With this edition, Leslie J. Reagan provides a new preface that addresses the dangerous and ongoing threats to abortion access across the country, and the precarity of our current moment. While abortions have typically been portrayed as grim back alley operations, this deeply researched history confirms that many abortion providers—including physicians—practiced openly and safely, despite prohibitions by the state and the American Medical Association. Women could find cooperative and reliable practitioners; but prosecution, public humiliation, loss of privacy, and inferior medical care were a constant threat. Reagan's analysis of previously untapped sources, including inquest records and trial transcripts, shows the fragility of patient rights and raises provocative questions about the relationship between medicine and law. With the right to abortion increasingly under attack, this book remains the definitive history of abortion in the United States, offering vital lessons for every American concerned with health care, civil liberties, and personal and sexual freedom. |
| abortion questions for essay: Engaging Bioethics Gary Seay, Susana Nuccetelli, 2017-02-03 Engaging Bioethics: An Introduction with Case Studies draws students into this rapidly changing field, helping them to actively untangle the many issues at the intersection of medicine and moral concern. Presuming readers start with no background in philosophy, it offers balanced, philosophically based, and rigorous inquiry for undergraduates throughout the humanities and social sciences as well as for health care professionals-in-training, including students in medical school, pre-medicine, nursing, public health, and those studying to assist physicians in various capacities. Written by an author team with more than three decades of combined experience teaching bioethics, this book offers Flexibility to the instructor, with chapters that can be read independently and in an order that fits the course structure Up-to-date coverage of current controversies on topics such as vaccination, access to health care, new reproductive technologies, genetics, biomedical research on human and animal subjects, medically assisted death, abortion, medical confidentiality, and disclosure Attention to issues of gender, race, cultural diversity, and justice in health care Integration with case studies and primary sources Pedagogical features to help instructors and students, including Chapter learning objectives Text boxes and figures to explain important terms, concepts, and cases End-of-chapter summaries, key words, and annotated further readings Discussion cases and questions Appendices on moral reasoning and the history of ethical issues at the end and beginning of life An index of cases discussed in the book and extensive glossary/index A companion website (http://www.routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/9780415837958/) with a virtual anthology linking to key primary sources, a test bank, topics for papers, and PowerPoints for lectures and class discussion |
| abortion questions for essay: Writing Poems in the Shadow of Death Aaron Everingham, 2018-12-08 The complete collection of available poems and writing from Aaron Everingham. |
| abortion questions for essay: Zwingli F. Bruce Gordon, 2021-11-30 A major new biography of Huldrych Zwingli—the warrior preacher who shaped the early Reformation Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) was the most significant early reformer after Martin Luther. As the architect of the Reformation in Switzerland, he created the Reformed tradition later inherited by John Calvin. His movement ultimately became a global religion. A visionary of a new society, Zwingli was also a divisive and fiercely radical figure. Bruce Gordon presents a fresh interpretation of the early Reformation and the key role played by Zwingli. A charismatic preacher and politician, Zwingli transformed church and society in Zurich and inspired supporters throughout Europe. Yet, Gordon shows, he was seen as an agitator and heretic by many and his bellicose, unyielding efforts to realize his vision would prove his undoing. Unable to control the movement he had launched, Zwingli died on the battlefield fighting his Catholic opponents. |
| abortion questions for essay: Safe Abortion World Health Organization, 2003-05-13 At a UN General Assembly Special Session in 1999, governments recognised unsafe abortion as a major public health concern, and pledged their commitment to reduce the need for abortion through expanded and improved family planning services, as well as ensure abortion services should be safe and accessible. This technical and policy guidance provides a comprehensive overview of the many actions that can be taken in health systems to ensure that women have access to good quality abortion services as allowed by law. |
| abortion questions for essay: Essays Two Lydia Davis, 2021-12-02 Lydia Davis returns with a timeless collection of essays on literature and language. 'Precise, concentrated, lyrical. No one writes like Lydia Davis, and everyone should read her' Hanif Kureishi 'A writer as mighty as Kafka, as subtle as Flaubert, and as epoch-making, in her own way, as Proust' Ali Smith Lydia Davis gathered a selection of her non-fiction writing for the first time in 2019 with Essays. Now, she continues the project with Essays Two, focusing on the art of translation, the learning of foreign languages through reading, and her experience of translating, amongst others, Flaubert and Proust, about whom she writes with an unmatched understanding of the nuances of their styles. Every essay in this book is a revelation. |
| abortion questions for essay: Her Body, Our Laws Michelle Oberman, 2018-01-16 With stories from the front lines, a legal scholar journeys through distinct legal climates to understand precisely why and how the war over abortion is being fought. Drawing on her years of research in El Salvador—one of the few countries to ban abortion without exception—legal scholar Michelle Oberman explores what happens when abortion is a crime. Oberman reveals the practical challenges raised by a thriving black market in abortion drugs, as well as the legal challenges to law enforcement. She describes a system in which doctors and lawyers collaborate in order to identify and prosecute those suspected of abortion-related crimes, and the troubling results of such collaboration: mistaken diagnoses, selective enforcement, and wrongful convictions. Equipped with this understanding, Oberman turns her attention to the United States, where the battle over abortion is fought almost exclusively in legislatures and courtrooms. Beginning in Oklahoma, one of the most pro-life states, and through interviews with current and former legislators and activists, she shows how Americans voice their moral opposition to abortion by supporting laws that would restrict it. In this America, the law is more a symbol than a plan. Oberman challenges this vision of the law by considering the practical impact of legislation and policies governing both motherhood and abortion. Using stories gathered from crisis pregnancy centers and abortion clinics, she unmasks the ways in which the law already shapes women’s responses to unplanned pregnancy, generating incentives or penalties, nudging pregnant women in one direction or another. In an era in which every election cycle features a pitched battle over abortion’s legality, Oberman uses her research to expose the limited ways in which making abortion a crime matters. Her insight into the practical consequences that will ensue if states are permitted to criminalize abortion calls attention to the naïve and misguided nature of contemporary struggles over abortion’s legality. A fresh look at the battle over abortion law, Her Body, Our Laws is an invitation to those on all sides of the issue to move beyond the incomplete discourse about legality by understanding how the law actually matters. |
| abortion questions for essay: Abortion Politics Ziad Munson, 2018-05-21 Abortion has remained one of the most volatile and polarizing issues in the United States for over four decades. Americans are more divided today than ever over abortion, and this debate colors the political, economic, and social dynamics of the country. This book provides a balanced, clear-eyed overview of the abortion debate, including the perspectives of both the pro-life and pro-choice movements. It covers the history of the debate from colonial times to the present, the mobilization of mass movements around the issue, the ways it is understood by ordinary Americans, the impact it has had on US political development, and the differences between the abortion conflict in the US and the rest of the world. Throughout these discussions, Ziad Munson demonstrates how the meaning of abortion has shifted to reflect the changing anxieties and cultural divides which it has come to represent. Abortion Politics is an invaluable companion for exploring the abortion issue and what it has to say about American society, as well as the dramatic changes in public understanding of women’s rights, medicine, religion, and partisanship. |
| abortion questions for essay: Prenatal Testing and Disability Rights Erik Parens, Adrienne Asch, 2000-09-28 As prenatal tests proliferate, the medical and broader communities perceive that such testing is a logical extension of good prenatal care—it helps parents have healthy babies. But prenatal tests have been criticized by the disability rights community, which contends that advances in science should be directed at improving their lives, not preventing them. Used primarily to decide to abort a fetus that would have been born with mental or physical impairments, prenatal tests arguably reinforce discrimination against and misconceptions about people with disabilities. In these essays, people on both sides of the issue engage in an honest and occasionally painful debate about prenatal testing and selective abortion. The contributors include both people who live with and people who theorize about disabilities, scholars from the social sciences and humanities, medical geneticists, genetic counselors, physicians, and lawyers. Although the essayists don't arrive at a consensus over the disability community's objections to prenatal testing and its consequences, they do offer recommendations for ameliorating some of the problems associated with the practice. |
| abortion questions for essay: Animals and Ethics 101 Nathan Nobis , 2016-10-11 Animals and Ethics 101 helps readers identify and evaluate the arguments for and against various uses of animals, such: - Is it morally wrong to experiment on animals? Why or why not? - Is it morally permissible to eat meat? Why or why not? - Are we morally obligated to provide pets with veterinary care (and, if so, how much?)? Why or why not? And other challenging issues and questions. Developed as a companion volume to an online Animals & Ethics course, it is ideal for classroom use, discussion groups or self study. The book presupposes no conclusions on these controversial moral questions about the treatment of animals, and argues for none either. Its goal is to help the reader better engage the issues and arguments on all sides with greater clarity, understanding and argumentative rigor. Includes a bonus chapter, Abortion and Animal Rights: Does Either Topic Lead to the Other? |
| abortion questions for essay: Beyond Pro-life and Pro-choice Amery, Fran, 2020-01-22 Examining the changing pluralities of contemporary abortion debate in Britain, this innovative and important book shows why it is necessary to move beyond an understanding of abortion politics as characterised in binary terms by ‘pro-choice’ versus ‘pro-life’. Amery traces the evolution of political and parliamentary discourses from the passage of the Abortion Act in the 1960s to the present day, and argues that the current provision of abortion in Britain rests on assumptions about medical authority over women’s reproductive decision-making which are unsustainable. She explores new arguments around sex-selective abortion, disability rights, pre-abortion counselling and the push for decriminalization, and radically reconceptualizes the debate to account for these new battlegrounds in abortion politics. |
| abortion questions for essay: Motherhood Sheila Heti, 2018-05-24 'A response - finally - to the new norms of femininity' Rachel Cusk Having reached an age when most of her peers are asking themselves when they will become mothers, Heti's narrator considers, with the same urgency, whether she will do so at all. Over the course of several years, under the influence of her partner, body, family, friends, mysticism and chance, she struggles to make a moral and meaningful choice. In a compellingly direct mode that straddles the forms of the novel and the essay, Motherhood raises radical and essential questions about womanhood, parenthood, and how - and for whom - to live. 'Likely to become the defining literary work on the subject' Guardian 'Courageous, necessary, visionary' Elif Batuman 'Quietly affecting... As concerned with art as it is with mothering' Sally Rooney 'Groundbreaking in its fluidity' Spectator **A Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Irish Times, Refinery29, TLS and The White Review Book of the Year ** |
| abortion questions for essay: A Defense of Abortion David Boonin, 2003 David Boonin has written the most thorough and detailed case for the moral permissibility of abortion yet published. Critically examining a wide range of arguments that attempt to prove that every human fetus has a right to life, he shows that each of these arguments fails on its own terms. He then explains how even if the fetus does have a right to life, abortion can still be shown to be morally permissible on the critic of abortion's own terms. |
| abortion questions for essay: Ethics at the Beginning of Life James Mumford, 2013-06-13 Many declare the debate about abortion to be hopelessly polarised, between conservatives and liberals, between forces religious and secular. In this book Mumford upends this received wisdom and challenges consensus, arguing that many dominant attitudes and argument fail to take into account the particular way human beings 'emerge' in the world. |
| abortion questions for essay: The Ethics of Abortion Christopher Kaczor, 2011 Appealing to reason rather than religious belief, this book is the most comprehensive case against the choice of abortion yet published. The Ethics of Abortion critically evaluates all the major grounds for denying fetal personhood, including the views of those who defend not only abortion but also infanticide. It also provides several (non-theological) justifications for the conclusion that all human beings, including those in utero, should be respected as persons. This book also critiques the view that abortion is not wrong even if the human fetus is a person. The Ethics of Abortion examines hard cases for those who are prolife, such as abortion in cases of rape or in order to save the motherâe(tm)s life, as well as hard cases for defenders of abortion, such as sex selection abortion and the rationale for being âeoepersonally opposedâe but publically supportive of abortion. It concludes with a discussion of whether artificial wombs might end the abortion debate. Answering the arguments of defenders of abortion, this book provides reasoned justification for the view that all intentional abortions are morally wrong and that doctors and nurses who object to abortion should not be forced to act against their consciences. |
| abortion questions for essay: Short Essays Gerald Henry Levin, 1977 |
| abortion questions for essay: Contemporary Bioethics Mohammed Ali Al-Bar, Hassan Chamsi-Pasha, 2015-05-27 This book discusses the common principles of morality and ethics derived from divinely endowed intuitive reason through the creation of al-fitr' a (nature) and human intellect (al-‘aql). Biomedical topics are presented and ethical issues related to topics such as genetic testing, assisted reproduction and organ transplantation are discussed. Whereas these natural sources are God’s special gifts to human beings, God’s revelation as given to the prophets is the supernatural source of divine guidance through which human communities have been guided at all times through history. The second part of the book concentrates on the objectives of Islamic religious practice – the maqa' sid – which include: Preservation of Faith, Preservation of Life, Preservation of Mind (intellect and reason), Preservation of Progeny (al-nasl) and Preservation of Property. Lastly, the third part of the book discusses selected topical issues, including abortion, assisted reproduction devices, genetics, organ transplantation, brain death and end-of-life aspects. For each topic, the current medical evidence is followed by a detailed discussion of the ethical issues involved. |
| abortion questions for essay: Social Q's Philip Galanes, 2012-11-27 A series of whimsical essays by the New York Times Social Q's columnist provides modern advice on navigating today's murky moral waters, sharing recommendations for such everyday situations as texting on the bus to splitting a dinner check. |
| abortion questions for essay: The Bible With and Without Jesus Amy-Jill Levine, Marc Zvi Brettler, 2020-10-27 The editors of The Jewish Annotated New Testament show how and why Jews and Christians read many of the same Biblical texts – including passages from the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Psalms – differently. Exploring and explaining these diverse perspectives, they reveal more clearly Scripture’s beauty and power. Esteemed Bible scholars and teachers Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Z. Brettler take readers on a guided tour of the most popular Hebrew Bible passages quoted in the New Testament to show what the texts meant in their original contexts and then how Jews and Christians, over time, understood those same texts. Passages include the creation of the world, the role of Adam and Eve, the Suffering Servant of Isiah, the book of Jonah, and Psalm 22, whose words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” Jesus quotes as he dies on the cross. Comparing various interpretations – historical, literary, and theological - of each ancient text, Levine and Brettler offer deeper understandings of the original narratives and their many afterlives. They show how the text speaks to different generations under changed circumstances, and so illuminate the Bible’s ongoing significance. By understanding the depth and variety by which these passages have been, and can be, understood, The Bible With and Without Jesus does more than enhance our religious understandings, it helps us to see the Bible as a source of inspiration for any and all readers. |
| abortion questions for essay: The Myth of a Christian Nation Gregory A. Boyd, 2007 Arguing from Scripture and history, the author makes a compelling case that getting too close to any political or national ideology is disastrous for the church and harmful to society. |
| abortion questions for essay: On Abortion Laia Abril, 2018-01-18 'On Abortion' is the first part of Laia Abril's new long-term project, 'A History of Misogyny'. The work was first exhibited at Les Rencontres in Arles in 2016 and awarded the Prix de la Photo Madame Figaro and the Fotopress Grant. Abril documents and conceptualises the dangers and damage caused by women's lack of legal, safe and free access to abortion. She draws on the past to highlight the long, continuing erosion of women's reproductive rights through to the present-day, weaving together questions of ethics and morality, to reveal a staggering series of social triggers, stigmas, and taboos around abortion that have been largely invisible until now. |
| abortion questions for essay: Decriminalising Abortion in the UK Sheldon, Sally, Wellings, Kaye, 2020-03-23 Available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence. The public and parliamentary debate about UK abortion law reform is often diverted away from key moral and political questions by disputes regarding basic questions of fact. And all too often, claims of scientific ‘fact’ are ideologically driven. But what effect would decriminalisation be likely to have on women’s health? What would be the impact on the incidence of abortions? Would decriminalisation equate to deregulation, sweeping away necessary restrictions on dangerous or malicious conduct? With each chapter written by leading experts in the fields of medicine, law, reproductive health and social science, this book offers a concise and authoritative account of the evidence regarding the likely impact of decriminalisation of abortion in the UK. |
| abortion questions for essay: A People Adrift Peter Steinfels, 2004-09 In this national bestseller, the most influential layman in the United States reports that the Roman Catholic Church in America must either profoundly reform or lapse into permanent irrelevance. |
| abortion questions for essay: Before Roe V. Wade Reva B. Siegel, 2012 As the landmark Roe v. Wade decision reaches its 40th anniversary, abortion remains a polarizing topic on America's legal and political landscape. Blending history, culture, and law, Before Roe v. Wade eplores the roots of the conflict, recovering through original documents and first-hand accounts the voices on both sides that helped shape the climate in which the Supreme Court ruled. Originally published in 2010, this new edition includes a new Afterword that explores what the history of conflict before Roe teaches us about the abortion conflict we live with today. Examining the role of social movements and political parties, the authors cast new light on a pivotal chapter in American history and suggest how Roe v. Wade, the case, because Roe v. Wade, the symbol. --Cover, p. 4. |
| abortion questions for essay: The Ethics of Abortion Robert M. Baird, Stuart E. Rosenbaum, 2001 Twenty-four essays and four excerpts from important Supreme Court decisions present information on the history of abortion before 'Roe vs. Wade, ' the issue of abandoned infants, and abortion in relation to feminism, Christianity, and the Constitution. |
| abortion questions for essay: These Precious Days Ann Patchett, 2021 The international bestselling writer Ann Patchett has been described as 'one of the foremost chroniclers of the burdens of emotional inventory and its central place in American lives' and 'a master of her art' (Observer). In her new collection, with her trademark blend of wryness, intelligence and wisdom, she explores family, friendship, marriage, failure, success - and how all these forces have shaped her as a writer. Ranging from the personal - her portrait in triptych of the three men she called her fathers, to unexpectedly falling into a friendship with Tom Hanks, to how to answer when someone asks why you don't have children - to the sublime - exploring the Harvard Museum of Natural History before its doors open, or the perfection to be found on a single page of Eudora Welty - each essay shows Patchett's strikingly original perspective, and the magical sleight of hand with which she transforms the particular into the universal. Illuminating, penetrating, funny and generous, These Precious Days is joyful time spent in the company of one of our greatest living authors. |
| abortion questions for essay: The Morality of Abortion John Thomas Noonan, 1970 |
| abortion questions for essay: Dialogues on the Ethics of Abortion Bertha Alvarez Manninen, 2022-05-16 What happens when two intelligent and highly informed fictional college students, one strongly pro-choice and the other vigorously pro-life, are asked to put together a presentation on abortion? Their conversations over five days – friendly but lively, charitable but clear – are captured in this book. Through these dialogues, students and other interested readers are introduced to the difficult moral issues of abortion. In Chapter 1, readers learn about Roe v. Wade and other relevant legal cases. Chapter 2 covers basic, philosophical issues such as: What is a person? Are fetuses persons? Is fetal potential morally relevant? How shall we define the moral community? Chapter 3 introduces students to Don Marquis’s Why Abortion is Immoral and also the metaphysical issues of personal identity and its relevance to abortion. Chapter 4 covers Judith Jarvis Thomson’s A Defense of Abortion, including objections and responses to the argument from bodily autonomy. Finally, Chapter 5 looks at abortion in hard cases, such as in cases of rape, fetal disability, non-viable pregnancies, and sex-selection; the chapter also includes a conversation on fathers and abortion. With a Foreword by Laurie Shrage, topics headings in the margins, and an annotated bibliography, Dialogues on the Ethics of Abortion is an easy-to-use volume and valuable resource for anyone interested in a fair and clear-headed approach to one of the most contentious moral issues of our time. |
| abortion questions for essay: Essayists on the Essay Carl H. Klaus, Ned Stuckey-French, 2012-03-15 The first historically and internationally comprehensive collection of its kind, Essayists on the Essay is a path-breaking work that is nothing less than a richly varied sourcebook for anyone interested in the theory, practice, and art of the essay. This unique work includes a selection of fifty distinctive pieces by American, Canadian, English, European, and South American essayists from Montaigne to the present—many of which have not previously been anthologized or translated—as well as a detailed bibliographical and thematic guide to hundreds of additional works about the essay. From a buoyant introduction that provides a sweeping historical and analytic overview of essayists’ thinking about their genre—a collective poetics of the essay—to the detailed headnotes offering pointed information about both the essayists themselves and the anthologized selections, to the richly detailed bibliographic sections, Essayists on the Essay is essential to anyone who cares about the form. This collection provides teachers, scholars, essayists, and readers with the materials they need to take a fresh look at this important but often overlooked form that has for too long been relegated to the role of service genre—used primarily to write about other more “literary” genres or to teach young people how to write. Here, in a single celebratory volume, are four centuries of commentary and theory reminding us of the essay’s storied history, its international appeal, and its relationship not just with poetry and fiction but also with radio, film, video, and new media. |
| abortion questions for essay: Autonomy: Volume 20, Part 2 Ellen Frankel Paul, Fred Dycus Miller, Jeffrey Paul, 2003-06-30 This volume examines autonomy and the role it plays in philosophy, as well as public policy. |
| abortion questions for essay: The Moral Case for Abortion Ann Furedi, 2016-07-27 This thought-provoking book sets out the ethical arguments for a woman’s right to choose. Drawing on the traditions of sociological thinking and moral philosophy, it maintains that there is a strong moral case for recognizing autonomy in personal decision-making about reproductive intentions. More than this, it argues that to prevent a woman from making her own choice to continue or end her pregnancy is to undermine the essence of her humanity. The author, a provider of abortion services in the UK, asserts that true respect for human life and true regard for individual conscience demand that we respect a woman’s right to decide, and that support for a woman’s right to a termination has moral foundations and ethical integrity. This fresh perspective on abortion will interest both pro- and anti-choice individuals and organizations, along with academics in the fields of gender studies, philosophy, ethics and religion. |
| abortion questions for essay: Moral Combat R. Marie Griffith, 2017-12-12 From an esteemed scholar of American religion and sexuality, a sweeping account of the century of religious conflict that produced our culture wars Gay marriage, transgender rights, birth control -- sex is at the heart of many of the most divisive political issues of our age. The origins of these conflicts, historian R. Marie Griffith argues, lie in sharp disagreements that emerged among American Christians a century ago. From the 1920s onward, a once-solid Christian consensus regarding gender roles and sexual morality began to crumble, as liberal Protestants sparred with fundamentalists and Catholics over questions of obscenity, sex education, and abortion. Both those who advocated for greater openness in sexual matters and those who resisted new sexual norms turned to politics to pursue their moral visions for the nation. Moral Combat is a history of how the Christian consensus on sex unraveled, and how this unraveling has made our political battles over sex so ferocious and so intractable. |
| abortion questions for essay: Why Evolution is True Jerry A. Coyne, 2010-01-14 For all the discussion in the media about creationism and 'Intelligent Design', virtually nothing has been said about the evidence in question - the evidence for evolution by natural selection. Yet, as this succinct and important book shows, that evidence is vast, varied, and magnificent, and drawn from many disparate fields of science. The very latest research is uncovering a stream of evidence revealing evolution in action - from the actual observation of a species splitting into two, to new fossil discoveries, to the deciphering of the evidence stored in our genome. Why Evolution is True weaves together the many threads of modern work in genetics, palaeontology, geology, molecular biology, anatomy, and development to demonstrate the 'indelible stamp' of the processes first proposed by Darwin. It is a crisp, lucid, and accessible statement that will leave no one with an open mind in any doubt about the truth of evolution. |
Abortion - World Health Organization (WHO)
Dec 3, 2024 · Making health for all a reality, and moving towards the progressive realization of human rights, requires that all individuals have access to quality health care, including …
Ask the expert: 10 questions on safe abortion care
Sep 26, 2022 · In July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) hosted a Twitter space with Dr Bela Ganatra, head of the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion unit in the WHO Department of …
Abortion care guideline - World Health Organization (WHO)
Mar 8, 2022 · In this guideline, recommendations are presented across three domains that are essential to the provision of abortion care: Law and policy, Clinical services and Service delivery.
WHO issues new guidelines on abortion to help countries deliver ...
Mar 9, 2022 · Alongside the clinical and service delivery recommendations, the guidelines recommend removing medically unnecessary policy barriers to safe abortion, such as …
WHO releases new guidelines on safe abortion
Mar 9, 2022 · WHO has released new guidelines on abortion care in a bid to protect the health of women and girls and help prevent over 25 million unsafe abortions that currently occur each …
Abortion: Safety - World Health Organization (WHO)
Sep 24, 2020 · Can medical abortion be self-managed by the client herself? When using the combination mifepristone and misoprostol regimen, the medical abortion process can be self …
Aborto - World Health Organization (WHO)
El aborto peligroso se produce cuando una persona carente de la capacitación necesaria pone fin a un embarazo, o ello se hace en un entorno que no cumple las normas médicas mínimas, o …
From guidelines to implementation: increasing access to quality ...
Jan 6, 2025 · The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) is working with national professional societies of obstetrics and gynaecology to improve access to self …
Abortion rate estimate - World Health Organization (WHO)
The GHO data repository is WHO's gateway to health-related statistics for its 194 Member States. It provides access to over 1000 health topics indicators
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (SRH)
Aug 7, 2023 · Life-threatening complications that may result from unsafe abortion include haemorrhage, infection, and injury to the genital tract and internal organs. In addition to the …
Abortion - World Health Organization (WHO)
Dec 3, 2024 · Making health for all a reality, and moving towards the progressive realization of human …
Ask the expert: 10 questions on safe abortion care
Sep 26, 2022 · In July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) hosted a Twitter space with Dr Bela Ganatra, …
Abortion care guideline - World Health Organization (WHO)
Mar 8, 2022 · In this guideline, recommendations are presented across three domains that are essential to …
WHO issues new guidelines on abortion to help countries del…
Mar 9, 2022 · Alongside the clinical and service delivery recommendations, the guidelines recommend removing …
WHO releases new guidelines on safe abortion
Mar 9, 2022 · WHO has released new guidelines on abortion care in a bid to protect the health of women and …
