Abortion:An Overview of the Ethical Issues

Lawrence M. Hinman, Ph.D.Professor of PhilosophyUniversity of San Diego

Larry at EthicsMatters dot net August 6, 2016

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 1

Lawrence M. Hinman, Ph.D.Emeritus Professor of Philosophy

University of San Diego

Last Updated: 8/6/16

Introduction

• Abortionisthemostdifficultandcontroversialmoralissueswewillconsider.

• Listentobothsides,evenifthatisdifficulttodo.Bothsideshaveimportantmoralinsights,evenifultimatelytheseinsightsareoutweighedbytheinsightsoftheotherside.

• Thegoal ofthispresentationisnottoconvinceyoutoacceptonepositionortheother,buttohelpyoutounderstandbothside.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 2

TheRhetoricofAbortionDiscussions

• Bewareofthelabels“Pro-life”and“Pro-choice.”• Theyimplythattheothersideisagainst“life”oragainst“choice.”

• Theyignorethenuancesinaperson’sposition.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 3

PartOne

TheEmpiricalBackground

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 4

Decreasingratesofabortion• Twoprincipalsourcesofdata:

• CDCabortionstats,2009• Guttmacherstats,2008

• Datatendtobeincomplete• OverallinUS,numberofabortionsisdecreasing.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 5

•About 1.21 M in 2008.

Pregnancy&IntentionsIntheUnitedStates:• 49%ofpregnancieswereunintended(2006)• Ofunintendedpregnancies,about40%endedinabortions

• Unintendedpregnanciesincreasedamongpoorwomen,decreasedamongfinanciallywell-offwomen.

• UnintendedpregnanciesincreasedamongblackandHispanicwomen.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 6

Reasonsgivenforabortions

• Concernfor/responsibilitytootherindividuals 74%

• Cannotaffordababynow 73%

• Ababywouldinterferewithschool/• employment/abilitytocarefordependents 69%

• Wouldbeasingleparent/havingrelationshipproblems 48%

• Hascompletedchildbearing 38%

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 7

Source:Fineretal.,2005(2004data)

IncidenceofAbortion• NearlyhalfofpregnanciesamongAmericanwomenareunintended,and

aboutfourin10oftheseareterminatedbyabortion. Twenty-twopercentofallpregnancies(excludingmiscarriages)endinabortion.

• Fortypercentofpregnanciesamongwhitewomen,67%amongblacksand53%amongHispanicsareunintended.

• In2008,1.21millionabortionswereperformed,downfrom1.31millionin2000.However,between2005and2008,thelong-termdeclineinabortionsstalled.From1973through2008,nearly50millionlegalabortionsoccurred.

• Eachyear,twopercentofwomenaged15–44haveanabortion.Halfhavehadatleastonepreviousabortion.

• AtleasthalfofAmericanwomenwillexperienceanunintendedpregnancybyage45,and,atcurrentrates,onein10womenwillhaveanabortionbyage20,oneinfourbyage30andthreein10byage45.

Source:GuttmacherInstitute8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 8

Whohasabortions?• 18%ofU.S.womenobtainingabortionsareteenagers;thoseaged15–17obtain6%of

allabortions,teensaged18–19obtain11%,andteensyoungerthanage15obtain0.4%.

• Womenintheir20saccountformorethanhalfofallabortions;womenaged20–24obtain33%ofallabortions,andwomenaged25–29obtain24%.

• Non-Hispanicwhitewomenaccountfor36%ofabortions,non-Hispanicblackwomenfor30%,Hispanicwomenfor25%andwomenofotherracesfor9%.

• 37%ofwomenobtainingabortionsidentifyasProtestantand28%asCatholic.• Womenwhohavenevermarriedandarenotcohabitingaccountfor45%ofall

abortions• About61%ofabortionsareobtainedbywomenwhohaveoneormorechildren.• 42%ofwomenobtainingabortionshaveincomesbelow100%ofthefederalpoverty

level($10,830forasinglewomanwithnochildren).• 27%ofwomenobtainingabortionshaveincomesbetween100–199%ofthefederal

povertylevel.

Source:GuttmacherInstitute

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 9

ContraceptiveUse• 54%ofwomenwhohaveabortionshadusedacontraceptivemethod(usuallythe

condomorthepill)duringthemonththeybecamepregnant.Amongthosewomen,76%ofpillusersand49%ofcondomusersreporthavingusedtheirmethodinconsistently,while13%ofpillusersand14%ofcondomusersreportcorrectuse.

• 46%ofwomenwhohaveabortionshadnotusedacontraceptivemethodduringthemonththeybecamepregnant.Ofthesewomen,33%hadperceivedthemselvestobeatlowriskforpregnancy,32%hadhadconcernsaboutcontraceptivemethods,26%hadhadunexpectedsexand1%hadbeenforcedtohavesex.

• 8%ofwomenwhohaveabortionshaveneverusedamethodofbirthcontrol;nonuseisgreatestamongthosewhoareyoung,poor,black,Hispanicorlesseducated.

• Abouthalfofunintendedpregnanciesoccuramongthe11%ofwomenwhoareatriskforunintendedpregnancybutarenotusingcontraceptives.Mostofthesewomenhavepracticedcontraceptioninthepast.

Source:GuttmacherInstitute

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 10

Whenabortionsoccur88%ofabortionsoccurinthefirst12weeksofthepregnancy(2006stats)

Source:GuttmacherInstitute

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 11

Safety• Abortionisoneofthesafestmedicalprocedures,withminimal—lessthan0.05%—riskof

majorcomplicationsthatmightnotneedhospitalcare.• Abortionsperformedinthefirsttrimesterposevirtuallynolong-termriskofsuchproblems

asinfertility,ectopicpregnancy,spontaneousabortion(miscarriage)orbirthdefect,andlittleornoriskofpretermorlow-birth-weightdeliveries.

• ExhaustivereviewsbypanelsconvenedbytheU.S.andBritishgovernmentshaveconcludedthatthereisnoassociationbetweenabortionandbreastcancer.Thereisalsonoindicationthatabortionisariskfactorforothercancers.

• Inrepeatedstudiessincetheearly1980s,leadingexpertshaveconcludedthatabortiondoesnotposeahazardtowomen’smentalhealth.

• Theriskofdeathassociatedwithabortionincreaseswiththelengthofpregnancy,fromonedeathforeveryonemillionabortionsatorbeforeeightweekstooneper29,000at16–20weeks—andoneper11,000at21ormoreweeks.

• Fifty-eightpercentofabortionpatientssaytheywouldhavelikedtohavehadtheirabortionearlier.Nearly60%ofwomenwhoexperiencedadelayinobtaininganabortioncitethetimeittooktomakearrangementsandraisemoney.

• Teensaremorelikelythanolderwomentodelayhavinganabortionuntilafter15weeksofpregnancy,whenthemedicalrisksassociatedwithabortionaresignificantlyhigher.

Source:GuttmacherInstitute

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 12

Safety• Abortionisoneofthesafestmedicalprocedures,withminimal—lessthan0.05%—riskof

majorcomplicationsthatmightnotneedhospitalcare.• Abortionsperformedinthefirsttrimesterposevirtuallynolong-termriskofsuchproblems

asinfertility,ectopicpregnancy,spontaneousabortion(miscarriage)orbirthdefect,andlittleornoriskofpretermorlow-birth-weightdeliveries.

• ExhaustivereviewsbypanelsconvenedbytheU.S.andBritishgovernmentshaveconcludedthatthereisnoassociationbetweenabortionandbreastcancer.Thereisalsonoindicationthatabortionisariskfactorforothercancers.

• Inrepeatedstudiessincetheearly1980s,leadingexpertshaveconcludedthatabortiondoesnotposeahazardtowomen’smentalhealth.

• Theriskofdeathassociatedwithabortionincreaseswiththelengthofpregnancy,fromonedeathforeveryonemillionabortionsatorbeforeeightweekstooneper29,000at16–20weeks—andoneper11,000at21ormoreweeks.

• Fifty-eightpercentofabortionpatientssaytheywouldhavelikedtohavehadtheirabortionearlier.Nearly60%ofwomenwhoexperiencedadelayinobtaininganabortioncitethetimeittooktomakearrangementsandraisemoney.

• Teensaremorelikelythanolderwomentodelayhavinganabortionuntilafter15weeksofpregnancy,whenthemedicalrisksassociatedwithabortionaresignificantlyhigher.

Source:GuttmacherInstitute

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 13

PartTwo

ThePhilosophicalArguments

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 14

TwoPrincipalMoralConsiderations

Themoralstatusofthefetus• Isthefetusaperson?Atwhatstageinits

developmentdoesitbecomesaperson?Conception?1st trimester?Birth?

Therightsofthepregnantwoman• Doesthepregnantwomanhavetherightto

decideifsheisgoingtocarrythebabytotermornot?

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 15

AnImportantDistinction

• Asyouconsiderthisdifficultissue,itisimportanttodistinguishtwoquestions:• Isabortionmorally wrong?• Shouldabortionbeillegal?

• Thesearedistinctissues.Noteverythingthatisimmoralisnecessarilyillegal.Wemay,forexample,wanttosaythatbeingunfaithfulinone’smarriageisimmoral,butwemaynotwanttoseeitmadeillegal.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 16

TheCentralArgument

Hereisthemainargumentthatisusuallyadvancedagainstabortion:P1: Thefetusisaninnocentperson.P2: Itismorallywrongtoendthelifeofaninnocent

person.C: Therefore,itismorallywrongtoendthelifeofa

fetus.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 17

TheMoralStatusoftheFetus

• Muchofthedebateinregardtoabortionhascenteredaroundthefirstpremise,namely,whetherthefetusisapersonornot.

• Ifthefetusisaperson,thenithastherightsthatbelongtopersons,includingtherighttolife.

• Theconceptofpersonhood,inotherwords,isthebridgethatconnectsthefetuswiththerighttolife.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 18

Fetus

Personhood

Rights

CriteriaofPersonhood

• StarTrek thoughtexperiment• Possiblecriteria

• Conceivedbyhumans• Geneticstructure• Physicalresemblance• Presenceofasoul• Viability• Afuturelikeours

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 19

NecessaryandSufficientConditions

• Anecessarycondition issomethingwhichmustbepresentforanotherthingtobepossible--e.g.,havingyoureyesopenisanecessaryconditionforwatchingtelevision.

• Asufficientcondition issomethingwhich,ifpresent,guaranteesthattheotherthingwilloccur--e.g.,drinkingaquartofwhiskeyisasufficientconditionforbecomingdrunk.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 20

NecessaryandSufficientConditionsofPersonhood

• Usingthisdistinction,wecanthenask:• Whatarethenecessaryconditionsofpersonhood?

• Whatarethesufficientconditionsofpersonhood?

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 21

TheRelevanceofPersonhood:J.J.Thomson

• Somephilosophers--beginningwithJudithJarvisThomson andJaneEnglish--havearguedthat,evenifthefetusisaperson,abortionmaybemorallyjustified.Inotherwords,theydisputethetruthofthepremise,“Itiswrongtoendthelifeofaninnocentperson.”

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 22

TheViolinistExample

• Thomsonoffersananalogy:imaginethatyouwereknockedunconscious,hookeduptoafamousviolinistwhomustdependonyouforlifesupportforthecomingninemonths.

• Thomsonmaintainsthatyouwouldbemorallyjustifiedinunhookingyourself,evenifitresultedinthedeathoftheviolinist.

• Byanalogy,apregnantwomanisjustifiedin“unhooking”herselffromthefetus,evenifdoingsoresultsinthedeathofthefetusandevenifthefetusisaperson.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 23

LimitationsoftheViolinistAnalogy

Thomson’sanalogyhasseverallimitations:• Onlycoverscasesofrape.

• Theviolinistisnotsomeonetowhomoneisrelated,evenpotentially.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 24

JaneEnglish’sRevisions

• ThephilosopherJaneEnglishamendedThomson’sexample.• Imaginethatyougooutatnight,knowingthatyoumightberenderedunconsciousandhookeduptotheviolinist.

• Youwouldstill,accordingtoEnglish,beentitledtounhookyourself.

• Thiscaseismorecloselyanalogoustoconventionalcasesofunwantedpregnancies.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 25

TheRightsofthePregnantWoman

Whatrightdoesawomanpossessthatwouldentitlehertochooseanabortion?

• Righttoprivacy.• thisistherightspecifiedinRoev.Wade.

• Righttoownershipofone’sownbody.• Isownershipaperspicuouscategory?

• Righttoequaltreatment.• Mencan’tgetpregnant.

• Righttoself-determination.• Womenhavetherighttodecideabouttheirownfutures.• Itismorallyrepellenttoforceawomantobearachildagainstherwill.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 26

Whodecides?

Whodecides?

Thegovernment• Laws•Courtdecisions•Regulation

Physicians• Individualdoctors• Professionalorganizations

Thosedirectlyinvolved•Thepregnantwoman•Thebiologicalfather•Otherfamilymembers

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 27

FeministConcernsaboutAbortion

Manyfeministsseeabortionissuewithincontextof:

• historyofoppressionofwomen• historyofdangeranddeathforwomenwhenabortionisillegal

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 28

AbortionandRacism

Some,particularlywithinAfrican-Americancommunities,seethecallforabortionasaracist,genocidalthreat.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 29

RightsoftheFather

Towhatextentdothefather’spreferencescountinmakingthisdecision?

• Motheractuallygivebirth,fathersdon’t.• Societyusuallyplacesprimaryresponsibilityonthemother.

• Fathersdon’tevenalwaysknowtheyarefathers;mothersalwaysdo.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 30

PrincipleoftheDoubleEffect

Fourconditionsmustbemet:1. theactionitselfmustbeeithermorallygoodor

atleastmorallyneutral;2. thebadconsequencesmustnotbeintended;3. thegoodconsequencescannotbethedirect

causalresultofthebadconsequences;and4. thegoodconsequencesmustbeproportionate

tothebadconsequences.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 31

AbortionandSexSelection

• Someworrythatabortion,coupledwithtechniquesfordeterminingwhetherthefetusismaleorfemale,couldbeusedforsexselection,whichwouldprobablyresultinfewerfemalebabies.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 32

SeekingaCommonGround

• Pointsofpossibleagreement• Reducingunwantedpregnancies

• But:disagreementaboutthemeans

• Guaranteeinggenuinelyfreeandinformedchoice• Providingalovinghomeforallchildren

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 33

NotableWebResources

• EthicsUpdates• StevenSchwartz,TheMoralQuestionofAbortion. (LoyolaUniversityPress,1990).Fulltextofentirebook.

• JudithJarvisThomson,"Abortion,"TheBostonReview,Vol.XX,No.3,(Jan1994/Dec1995).Fulltext&replies.

• GeorgeMcKenna,"OnAbortion:ALincolnian Position,"TheAtlanticMonthly,Vol.276,No.3;(September,1995).

• MarthaBayles,"FeminismandAbortion."AtlanticMonthly.April,1990.

8/6/16 (c) Lawrence M. Hinman 34