Kant's Philosophy To Affirm The Morality Of Abortion

Abortion is defined as the termination of a pregnancy by removing an embryo or fetus from the womb before it is viable. There are a number of reasons why a woman may feel the need to have an abortion. There is quite the political debate about the morality of this procedure, moving to question the legality of it. First, one must define the point in which a fetus becomes a human being. Is it at conception? When is has a developed nervous system? Or is it a matter of weeks? For this essay, I will be using Immanuel Kant’s philosophy to affirm the morality of abortion. Most stances against abortion claim that Kant’s second formulation of the categorical imperative also includes fetuses. However, according to Kant’s writings in metaphysics and ethics, most importantly his definitions of ‘person’ and ‘personality,’ it is apparent that abortion is in fact moral.

Since embryos and fetuses lack rational thought, the application of the imperatives to them is a flawed argument. From a Kantian perspective, it is challenging to maintain the position that life beings at conception. If granted, the status of an embryo or fetus as a ‘person’ would not rid abortion of its morality on its own. This is because making a woman carry an unwanted child to term violates the application of second formulation of the categorical imperative to them. In The Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant gives us the three formulations of the categorical imperative. For the case of abortion and the rights associated with the procedure, the second formulation will be most important. It says:

So act as to treat humanity, whether in thine own person or in that of any other, in every case as an end withal, never as means