Quiz 15: Thomson on Abortion

According to Thomson, the right to life is a right to

A. the bare minimum one needs for continued life.

B. not be killed unjustly.

C. individual liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

D. not be killed.

B. not be killed unjustly.

According to Thomson, what is the relationship between the right to life and the right to decide what happens to one's body?

A. The right to life is always more important.

B. The right to decide what happens to one's body is always more important.

C. The two rights never conflict.

D. none of the above

D. none of the above

In the case of the violinist, Thomson thinks

A. you are obligated to unplug yourself.

B. it would be nice of you to unplug yourself, but you are not obligated to do so.

C. you are obligated not to unplug yourself.

D. it would be nice of you to remain attached, but you are not obligated to do so.

D. it would be nice of you to remain attached, but you are not obligated to do so.

Many people claim that a fetus is a person from the moment of conception. In her paper, Thomson

A. agrees with this claim.

B. disagrees with this claim.

C. grants this claim for the sake of argument.

D. both b and c

D. both b and c

The case of the burglar is supposed to show that

A. fetuses aren't always innocent.

B. abortion is morally permissible only in the case of failed contraception.

C. if you could have prevented some outcome, then you are obligated to accept that outcome.

D. none of the above

D. none of the above

The case of the violinist is supposed to show that

A. abortion is always morally permissible.

B. the right to decide what happens to one's body is always more morally important than the right to life.

C. the right to life is not always more morally important than the right to decide what happens to one's body.

D. both a and b

C. the right to life is not always more morally important than the right to decide what happens to one's body.

Thomson claims that a woman grants a fetus a right to the use of her body whenever she has

A. intercourse.

B. intercourse voluntarily.

C. intercourse voluntarily without using protection.

D. none of the above

D. none of the above

Thomson claims that no one has the right to the use of your body unless

A. he cannot survive without the use of your body.

B. he pays you something in return for it.

C. you grant him the right to it.

D. granting him the use of your body would maximize happiness.

C. you grant him the right to it.

When does Thomson think that abortion is morally impermissible?

A. when the woman has given the fetus the right to use her body

B. any time past the first trimester

C. never

D. whenever the life of the mother is not threatened

A. when the woman has given the fetus the right to use her body

Which of the following claims does Thomson think is true?

A. A fetus is a person from the moment of conception.

B. Directly killing an innocent person is always impermissible.

C. Abortion is sometimes morally impermissible.

D. Abortion is never morally permissible.

C. Abortion is sometimes morally impermissible.