The Extreme View
The Extreme View: Abortion is always impermissible, even to save the life of the mother.
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Step 1: |
1 |
Every fetus is a person. |
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2 |
Every person has a right to life. |
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Therefore |
3 |
Every fetus has a right to life. |
1&2 |
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Step 2: |
4 |
No being with a right to life may be killed. |
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Therefore |
5 |
No fetus may be killed. |
3&4 |
Why should we think that premise (4), No being with a right to life may be killed, is true? Thomson considers each of the following arguments, but shows that each is unsound.
First try: Directly killing an innocent person is morally impermissible.
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1 |
Directly killing an innocent person is morally impermissible. |
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2 |
If (1) then (3) |
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Therefore |
3 |
No being with a right to life may be killed |
1&2 |
Second try: Directly killing an innocent person is murder and murder is morally impermissible.
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1 |
Directly killing an innocent person is murder and murder is morally impermissible. |
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2 |
If (1) then (3) |
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Therefore |
3 |
No being with a right to life may be killed |
1&2 |
Third try: There is a greater obligation to refrain from directly killing an innocent person than there is to keep a person from dying.
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1 |
There is a greater obligation to refrain from directly killing an innocent person than there is to keep a person from dying. |
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2 |
If (1) then (3). |
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Therefore |
3 |
No being with a right to life may be killed |
1&2 |
Fourth try: If the only options are to either directly kill an innocent person or let a person die, then it is better to let the person die.
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1 |
If the only options are to either directly kill an innocent person or let a person die, then it is better to let the person die. |
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2 |
If (1) then (3). |
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Therefore |
3 |
No being with a right to life may be killed |
1&2 |