In Practical Ethics, Peter Singer successfully refutes objections to his argument that take only the actual characteristics of the foetus into account in determining the morality of abortion and not its potential characteristics. While some opponents of abortion recognise that on the basis of the foetus’ actual characteristics, the foetus compares unfavourably with many non-human animals; They claim that it is when we consider its potential to become a mature human being that membership of the species Homo sapiens becomes important, and the ‘foetus far surpasses any chicken, pig or calf’. The common argument for the potential of the foetus can be stated as follows: First premise: It is wrong to kill a potential human being. Second premise: A human foetus is a potential human being. Conclusion: Therefore it is wrong to kill a human foetus. …show more content…
Whereas it is problematic whether a foetus actually is a human being - it depends on what we mean by the term - it cannot be denied that the foetus is a potential human being. This is true whether by 'human being' we mean 'member of the species Homo sapiens' or a rational and self-conscious being, a person. The second premise contributes a great deal to strengthening the argument, however, the first premise is still open to being challenged for the immorality of killing an actual or potential human being. Whilst the foetus may actually lack rationality, consciousness, the capacity to feel or to suffer (characteristics that are considered to entitle an entity to be considered a person) in the same degree as a properly human person, it nevertheless will, ordinarily, come to have such