ABORTION

Warren’s main argument about abortion

If a fetus Is a human being in the moral sense, then abortion violates their human rights

What distinction does Warren make between ‘genetic sense’ and ‘moral sense’ of a human being?

Genetic sense = having DNA (homo sapiens)

Moral sense = being a person with rights

> fetus can be genetically human but not a moral person

What are Warren’s 5 criteria for a personhood?

1. Consciousness

2. Reasoning

3. Self-motivated

4. Capacity to communicate

5. Self-awareness

> Not all five capacities must be possessed but the more it has, the more “person-like” it is

What is Warren’s position about abortion?

Abortion is morally permissible. Since fetuses only possess the consciousness trait of personhood they are not persons, therefore, they are not human beings with a moral sense and strong moral rights. While the woman IS a person with full moral rights, including bodily autonomy.

How does Warren handle the “potential person” argument?

Potential persons do not have rights strong enough to overweight the rights of ACTUAL persons, like the pregnant woman.

What is Warren’s view of infanticide?

Infants are not persons either and they don’t have full rights, however, infanticide is wrong because of a social value.

Why killing is wrong according to Marquis?

Because it deprives someone of a “future like ours” FLO. Which is a future with valuable experiences, activities, projects and enjoyments.

FLO account is sufficient for the wrongness of killing.

What does Marquis think about abortion?

Fetuses have a future like ours (FLO), so abortion deprives them of a valuable future. Therefore, abortion is morally wrong in most cases.

He avoids personhood debates because he thinks that the wrongness of killing depends on the value of future, not of water the being is a person.

What is desire account according to Marquis?

Killing is wrong because we desire to live. However, life is desired becase is valuable. This makes the desire account necessary for the wrongness of killing.

What is the “contraception objection” and how does Marquis respond to it?

If abortion is wrong because it prevent a future, wouldn’t contraception also prevent futures?

Marquis argues that before conception, there is no individual that is being deprived of a future; contraception prevents individuals from coming into existence.