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The abortion debate refers to discussion and controversy surrounding the moral and legal status of Abortion . The two main groups involved in the abortion debate are the Pro-choice movement, which generally supports access to abortion and regards it as morally permissible, and the Pro-life movement, which generally opposes access to abortion and regards it as morally wrong. Each movement has, with varying results, sought to influence public opinion and to attain legal support for its position. In Canada , for example, abortion is available on demand,1 while in Nicaragua abortions are always illegal. In the USA , abortion is generally legal but subject to restrictions in some jurisdictions and circumstances. In some cases, the abortion debate has led to the use of Violence . TERMINOLOGY Many of the terms used in the debate are seen as and Freedom , while suggesting that the opposition must be "''anti''-choice" or "''anti''-life" (alternatively "pro-''coercion''" or "pro-''death''"). Such terms gloss over the underlying issue of ''which'' choice or life is being considered and ''whose'' choice or ''what kind'' of life is deemed most important. Appeals are often made in the abortion debate to the alleged " Rights " of the fetus, pregnant woman or other parties. Such appeals can generate confusion if the ''type'' of rights is not specified (whether Civil , Natural , or otherwise), or if it is simply ''assumed'' that the right appealed to takes precedence over all other competing rights (an example of Begging The Question ). The appropriate terms with which to designate the human organism prior to birth are also debated. The terms " Embryo " and " Fetus " are seen by pro-life advocates as Dehumanizing ; the terms " Baby " and "unborn child" are seen by pro-choice advocates as Emotionalized . Likewise, there is debate between use of the terms " Woman " and " Mother ". POLITICAL DEBATE Privacy '' Time '' has stated that the issue of bodily Privacy is "the core" of the abortion debate.7 In political terms, privacy can be understood as a condition in which one is not observed or disturbed by government.8 Privacy, in relation to abortion, is defined as the ability of a woman to "decide what happens to her own body". While Governments are allowed to invade the privacy of their citizens in some cases, they are expected to protect privacy in all cases lacking a Compelling State Interest . Abortions are recognized as being private, but are criticized for producing the negative effect of the death a biological human. Critics argue that abortion regulation is valid because the state interest in protecting prenatal life is compelling. Defenders argue either that there is no state interest in regulating abortion, or that the woman's privacy is a ''more'' compelling interest. and Gloria Feldt on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to rally in support of '' Roe V. Wade .'']] U.S. judicial involvement '' that have defined abortion law in the United States . Since ''Roe'', abortion has been legal throughout the country, but states have placed varying regulations on it, from requiring Parental Involvement in a minor's abortion to restricting Late-term Abortion s. Critics of the ''Roe'' decision argue that it is an example of Judicial Activism and that it should be overturned so that abortion law can be decided by legislatures.9 Justice Potter Stewart , who joined with the majority, viewed the ''Roe'' opinion as "legislative" and asked that more consideration be paid to state legislatures.10 In response to an argument that the judiciary can "call the contending sides of national controversy to end their national division", Justice Antonin Scalia wrote: Some also cite '' Gonzales V. Carhart '' as judicial activism.12 In upholding the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act , ''Carhart'' is the first judicial opinion upholding a legal barrier to a specific abortion procedure. in São Paulo , Brazil .]] Church and state The . Some argue that efforts to codify official church positions are an illegal breach of separation. Some argue that churches are an important source of information, resources, and incentives to engage in the political process.13 Religious influences are closely tied to ethical opposition of abortion,14 and ethical opposition often impels people toward political opposition. Some argue that separation of church and state should include separation of ''religion'' from ''politics''.15 Arguments regarding church intrusion are defended by referencing the ''similar'' ethical arguments against abortion that are made by Atheists .16 ETHICAL DEBATE See Also: Ethical aspects of abortion Philosophical aspects of the abortion debate . Regarding abortion, the ethics debate usually surrounds whether an embryo has rights, and whether those rights should take precedence over a woman's. For many, there is a strong correlation between Religion And Abortion Ethics . Personhood Some argue that abortion is ''wrong'' based on a belief that an embryo is an innocent person with a . Person is used as a ''psychological'' property, a ''moral'' property, or both. Some define Personhood through a set of criteria. A being need not exhibit every criterion to qualify as a person, but failure to exhibit most is proposed as disqualification. One list includes Consciousness (at least the capacity to feel pain), Reasoning , Self Motivation , the ability to Communicate on ''many'' possible topics, and Self-awareness .Warren 1973: 458. Lists like this are intended to help someone be able to Objectively distinguish between a biological human and a person. According to the author of this list, an embryo is not a person because it satisfies only one criterion, namely consciousness (and this only after it becomes Susceptible To Pain ).Warren 1973: 458-459 Other lists apply similar criteria, concluding that an embryo lacks personhood (and a right to life) because it lacks self-consciousness,Tooley 1972: 44. rationality,Singer 2000: 128 and 156-157. and autonomy.McMahan 2002: 260 These lists diverge over precisely ''which'' features confer a right to life,It is similarly unclear ''which'' features one must have a natural capacity for, in order to have a right to life (cf Schwarz 1990: 105-109), or ''which'' features constitute a "future like ours." but tend to propose that they are ''developed'' psychological features not found in embryos. Criticism of this line of reasoning begins with two classes of persons (after birth) in which these criteria do not confer personhood: those who are concedes that infants are not "persons" by these criteria,Warren 1982 and others state that Infanticide could be morally acceptable under some circumstances (i.e. if the infant is severely disabledSinger 2000: 186-193 or in order to save the lives of other infantsMcMahan 2002: 359-360). Critics of this formulation argue that these allowances are a major failure of defining personhood by observed characteristics. An alternate definition of personhood relies on a being's ''natural'' capacity instead of its ''current'' observable capacity. It is argued that being the ''kind'' of being that can develop itself to the point of exhibiting the criteria is what is crucial. Biological humans have this natural capacity—and have it '' Essentially ''. By this view, personhood begins at Conception Conception is the point at which the organism becomes ''biologically'' human. and it is not possible for an embryo to ''fail'' to have a right to life.Lee 1996 and 2004: Schwarz 1990: 91-93. It is argued that both definitions rely on arbitrary distinctions.McMahan 2002: 261-265 argues that ''current'' capacity definition is arbitrary.Stretton 2004: 270-274; McMahan 2002: 217 argue that ''natural'' capacity definition is arbitrary. symbolically cover their mouths with red tape.]] Deprivation Some argue that abortion is ''wrong'' because it deprives the embryo of a valuable future.Marquis 1989. See also Stone 1987. By this argument, killing any human being is wrong because it deprives the victim of a valuable future: any experiences, activities, projects, and enjoyments that would have been enjoyed.Marquis 1989: 189-190 Thus, if a being has a valuable future ahead of it—a "future like ours"—then killing that being would be seriously wrong.Marquis 1989: 190. The type of wrongness appealed to here is presumptive or Prima Facie wrongness: it may be overridden in exceptional circumstances. As an embryo has a valuable future, the "overwhelming majority" of deliberate abortions are placed in the "same moral category" as killing an innocent adult human being.Marquis 1989: 183. Not ''all'' abortions are deemed to be seriously wrong. According to this formulation, abortion may be justified if the same justification can be applied to killing a postnatal human. Criticism of this line of reasoning follows several threads. Some argue that the person’s future has much less gratuitous pain and suffering than someone in extreme Poverty —some killings would turn out to be much ''less'' wrong than others. Some argue that killing is not wrong because of future value but because of the interest one has in its future. They argue that an embryo's lack of conscious interest in its future dismisses this formulation. Some argue that Gametes have equal potential as a Zygote , arguing that this reasoning deems Contraception to be wrong. near the Washington Monument .]] Bodily rights See Also: A Defense of Abortion Some argue that abortion is ''right'' (or ''permissible'') because it allows a woman her right to control her body. This formulation is irrespective of the rights ascribed to embryos. The argument holds that the decision to carry an embryo to term falls within the prerogative of each woman. Forcing a woman to continue an unwanted Pregnancy is made analogous to forcing one person's body to be used as a Dialysis machine for another person suffering from Kidney Failure . Criticism of this line of reasoning argues that the given analogy is poor. It is argued that the analogy (with a person suffering from kidney failure) overlooks tacit consentWarren 1973 and subsequent responsibilityMcMahan 2002 for having participated in intercourse; the embryo is the woman's child as opposed to a strangerSchwarz 1990; McMahan 2002; and that abortion kills the embryo and does not merely let it die.Schwarz 1990; McMahan 2002Schwarz 1990; Lee 1996 Some defend this formulation, dismissing these Objections as morally irrelevant or inapplicable.Boonin 2003: ch 4 Another argument in favor of abortion is the questionable quality of life for unwanted children when a woman is forced to carry a pregnancy to term. This is particularly relevant in the case of rape victims, as well as women who, due to youth or disability, are incapable of caring for a child, or sometimes even fully understanding the situation. SEE ALSO
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