Summary In A Defense Of Abortion

In “A Defense of Abortion,” Judith Jarvis Thomson maintains that there are instances where an unplanned pregnancy can occur, but it does not give the fetus the right to inhabit a woman’s body due to her simply having had sex. In this paper, I will address her argument using the creative analogy that this is akin to an open window as an invitation to an unwanted intruder, and argue how it falls short of the mark because of the responsibility attached as the consequence of one’s actions. Thomson compares having voluntary intercourse to having a window open to air out a stuffy room. In the first scenario, an unwanted intruder invades your body. In the second scenario, an unwanted intruder invades your home. They both involve unwanted consequences.

While I do agree that a person has the right to decide what happens to their body, it might never be so simple or straightforward. A person both legally and morally must accept the consequences of their actions. While I do acquiesce that an open window in a vicinity wrought with burglaries, is not the best course of action, there are laws which prohibit a burglar from entering my house because they are an unwanted and uninvited intruder. I installed an expensive security system to prevent this from occurring. If they trespass, they must pay the penalty. If I choose to have unprotected sex, I am doing nothing to prevent a pregnancy from occurring. If I use contraceptives, there is no 100% effective method of birth control. At best, it is only 99%. So I must concur that I am taking the chance that I will not be in the 1% risk category, but again, I decided by my actions what happened to my body. I made the choice to allow my male partner into the part of my body that is also used for procreation. If I receive more than I expected, it is what is termed as, “coming with the territory.” If I steal, cheat, or lie, I must pay the penalty, take the F, or admit my perjury. If I speed, I must pay the speeding ticket or go to traffic