Moral Philosophy Final Exam - Topic 3 - Marquis on Abortion

Future Like Ours (FLO)

A future with future goods of consciousness, experiences, projects and enjoyments

Marquis’ FLO Argument Against Abortion

Killing is wrong because it deprives a being of a FLO

Future Goods of Consciousness

The set of all valuable experiences, activities, and mental states that a being would have enjoyed if its life had continued

Premise 1 of Marquis’s Argument

If a being has a future like ours, then it is seriously prima facie morally wrong to kill that being

The Worst of Crimes Argument

He argues his theory explains why we consider killing the "worst of crimes", it deprives the victim of everything they would have ever had

Potentiality Objection

Critics argue that being a "potential" person with a future does not grant you the same rights as an "actual" person

Marquis’ Response to the Potentiality Objection

Marquis says he isn't arguing from potential rights, but from the actual harm of deprivation

Does FLO make contraception immoral?

Marquis says no. For a "future" to be lost, there must be a specific individual who is deprived of it

Interest Objection

A being can only be harmed if it has "interests," and a fetus lacks the cognitive equipment to take interest in its future

Marquis’ Response to the Interest Objection

One can have a "valuable future" even if they don't currently value it (e.g., a suicidal person or someone in a temporary coma)

Non-Rights Based Ethical Theory

A theory that determines the morality of an action based on the nature of the harm or loss to the victim rather than rights, ex. util or consequentialism