Thank you for this thorough explanation of your views. I am quite curious as to whether you have ever been pregnant. Of course, many people who have been pregnant are vehemently anti-abortion, but my own personal experience of (wanted) pregnancy made me convinced that forcing someone to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term is a crime against their humanity.[1] If you can’t understand why this might be, I would suggest reading Judith Jarvis Thompson’s violinist paper.
I don’t want to relitigate whether abortion ought to be legal (or encouraged, or funded, or whatever), as I find the fact that my bodily autonomy is up for debate to be somewhat dispiriting, so I am going to bow out of this conversation now, but once again I appreciate your taking the time to explain your viewpoint.
‘but what of the fetus’s humanity?’ idk man, the fetus is a possible human and the mother is an actual human, and I think actual humans are more important than possible ones. This is also why I’m not a longtermist.
You’re very welcome! I appreciate you reading and engaging :)
I’m a male and have not been pregnant. I’m familiar with Thompson’s arguments, and I don’t consider them decisive. Depending upon the weeks from gestation, the fetus may be a possible person, but they may also be an actual person.[1] Either way, as in longtermism, I don’t endorse a moral distinction between possible and actual people.
I respect your decision to bow out, so I won’t elaborate on these points unless you request me to. Thanks again for your engagement!
“Overall, the evidence, and a balanced reading of that evidence, points towards an immediate and unreflective pain experience mediated by the developing function of the nervous system from as early as 12 weeks.” Derbyshire, S. W., & Bockmann, J. C. (2020). Reconsidering fetal pain. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2019-105701
Thank you for this thorough explanation of your views. I am quite curious as to whether you have ever been pregnant. Of course, many people who have been pregnant are vehemently anti-abortion, but my own personal experience of (wanted) pregnancy made me convinced that forcing someone to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term is a crime against their humanity.[1] If you can’t understand why this might be, I would suggest reading Judith Jarvis Thompson’s violinist paper.
I don’t want to relitigate whether abortion ought to be legal (or encouraged, or funded, or whatever), as I find the fact that my bodily autonomy is up for debate to be somewhat dispiriting, so I am going to bow out of this conversation now, but once again I appreciate your taking the time to explain your viewpoint.
‘but what of the fetus’s humanity?’ idk man, the fetus is a possible human and the mother is an actual human, and I think actual humans are more important than possible ones. This is also why I’m not a longtermist.
You’re very welcome! I appreciate you reading and engaging :)
I’m a male and have not been pregnant. I’m familiar with Thompson’s arguments, and I don’t consider them decisive. Depending upon the weeks from gestation, the fetus may be a possible person, but they may also be an actual person.[1] Either way, as in longtermism, I don’t endorse a moral distinction between possible and actual people.
I respect your decision to bow out, so I won’t elaborate on these points unless you request me to. Thanks again for your engagement!
“Overall, the evidence, and a balanced reading of that evidence, points towards an immediate and unreflective pain experience mediated by the developing function of the nervous system from as early as 12 weeks.” Derbyshire, S. W., & Bockmann, J. C. (2020). Reconsidering fetal pain. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2019-105701