Abortion: Points Of View :: essays research papers

Abortion Points of ViewIt is nearly impossible any more(prenominal) to find someone who doesnt have an ruling about abortion, and probably a strong opinion at that. Yet the endlessdebates on the topic usually go nowhere, leaving the opponents even morecommitted to their positions and the open-minded observers confused. Both sidesmake a good case. An unwanted child is a pitiful thing, and the attendant socialproblems (single motherhood, financial destitution, child neglect, and urbanovercrowding, to name just a few) do not have easy solutions. On the other hand,the thought of terminating something that, if left to run its natural course,would ultimately will in the birth of a human being gives all but the mosthard-hearted among us cause for serious introspection.One reason the debate goes nowhere is that each side focuses on adifferent topic. We make no progress because we are not talking about the samething. The pro-abortionist prefers to discuss choice, and to bide on all of thes ocial problems inherent in an unwanted child. The anti-abortionist isinterested primarily in protecting the life of the fetus. In simple terms, thepro-abortionist focuses on a womans rights and the anti-abortionist focuses ona fetus rights. Though interrelated, these are basically different topics.Though neither side realizes it, there is actually much more obligationthan unlikeness between the opposing views. The majority on both sides wouldagree that social problems like child neglect and urban overcrowding are serious counters. Most would alike agree that the life of a child is a precious thing thatdeserves the full protection of the law. There would even be nearly universalagreement that it is a womans exclusive right to make decisions concerning herbody. So wheres the disagreement? The entire complex issue comes down to onequestionIs the fetus a somebody? If you believe it is not a person, then it issimply part of the womans body and subject to her exclusive control. From th ispoint of view, any attempt to diminish that control is a cruel infringement upona womans rights. If, however, you believe the fetus is a person, then you areobligated to protect it, even to the point of delimiting the actions of thewoman carrying it. For you, the suggestion that this issue is a matter ofpersonal choice is like saying that whether or not a parent kills a two-year-oldis a matter of personal choice.The finish of these pages is to examine the abortion debate from severalperspectives, focusing on the question of when the fetus life as a person