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Is abortion ethical?
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Right to life

A fetus has the full rights of an adult human. Therefore, it has the right to life and to not being killed.

The Argument

A fetus is a human being; it, therefore, has all of the rights of a human being, including the right to life. Since a fetus has a right to life, it is wrong to abort it. An embryo and fetus have all of the DNA of any human, making it inarguably a human life. Human life is valuable, and humans have a right to life. Aborting a fetus disrespects the human right to life, and is therefore wrong.[1]

Counter arguments

While a fetus or an embryo is biologically human, that is not a reason to give it the full rights of an adult human. An embryo is no more developed than many animals we kill to eat. Therefore, while a fetus may be human, it is not a person. Personhood requires a certain amount of development, and with that status comes rights. Since a fetus lacks the status of personhood, it does not have a right to life.

Proponents

Premises

{P1] A fetus is a human being. [P2] A human being has a right to life. [P3] Depriving a human being of their right to life is wrong.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.centralmaine.com/2019/03/06/b-3459-stauble-ron-3-1-abortion-unborn-babies-have-right-to-life/
This page was last edited on Thursday, 13 Aug 2020 at 15:58 UTC

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