Don Marquis’ Argument Against Abortion.ppt

Don Marquis’ Argument Against Abortion On Marquis’ “An Argument that Abortion is Wrong” The Problem Addressed in this Paper The question addressed is: Is abortion wrong? Marquis’ answer: “[Abortion], except perhaps in rare instances, is seriously wrong.” Critique of Judith Thomson’s Argument Thomson tries to show that even if fetuses have a strong right to life, abortion is still often morally permissible. Thomson’s reasons are these. Thomson’s first reason: The body being used is the mother’s body. In a pregnancy, although the fetus uses the mother’s body as a life-support system, the mother does not use the fetus’ body as a life support system. Marquis’ rebuttal: In abortion the life that is lost is the fetus’, not the mother’s. Thomson’s second reason: A fetus’ right to life does not entail its right to use someone else’s body to preserve its life. Marquis’ rebuttal: A woman’s right to use her own body also does not entail her right to end someone else’s life in order to do what she wants with her body. Thomson’s third reason: The mother’s right to control her own body does not come to much if it is wrong for her to take any action that ends the life of the fetus. Marquis’ rebuttal: The fetus’ right to life does not come to much if a pregnant woman can end it when she chooses. Marquis’ conclusion about Thomson’s argument: A Thomsonian strategy for defending a general right to abortion does not succeed. Critique of Mary Warren’s Argument Here is Warren’s argument for abortion: (1) Only persons have the right to life. (2) Fetuses are not persons. ∴ (3) Fetuses do not have the right to life. Premise (2) seems obviously true. What are Warren’s reasons for premise (1)? According to Warren, morality rests on contractual foundation, and only persons are capable of entering into the moral contract. Hence only persons have rights. Marquis’ rebuttal: The contractarian approach fails because it cannot account for our duties to individuals who are not per