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Summary Of Judith Jarvis Thomson: A Defense Against Abortion

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Trevor Mangru Professor Bentley PHI 1600 Judith Jarvis Thomson: A Defense Against Abortion Ever since Roe. vs . Wade, where abortion was deemed legal by extending the ninth amendment rights to protect all persons rights. This case has managed for abortion to become a hot topic in America. Throughout her paper, Judith Jarvis Thomson presents an argument that describes why abortion is moral. The purpose of Thomson’s argument is to dictate to the reader that a fetus is a creature that does have rights, however, a fetus does not have the right to a mother’s body; therefore abortion is permissible in a way does not hurt a creature not being born yet, and that a mother has the right to determine what is happening to and as well as within her …show more content…

In the case of rape, an abortion would be morally tolerable, such that the fetus being formed does not one have the amount of rights as a fetus that was created from intended conception. (Thomson 5). When we are faced in the case such that a baby is to be born from rape, the baby is looked down upon in shame, as well as the mother.In the Christian religion, a baby conceived from rape, is a sin and is not God’s will. (Thistlethwaite 1). However, being said so, we are presented with a statement that does not please, the ears, therefore, we are forced to question whether or not a baby would like to be told they are the product of a rape. Being so, we can dismiss this case on the grounds that abortion is permissible in the case of rape, and a fetus being conceived from rape. Thomson additionally arises the objection that when presented with the fact that everyone has a right to life, including an unborn child, we cannot kill anyone or anything. (Thomson 19). This is brought up from a strict point of view on the value and preservation of life.But, why should an unborn life have priority over a mother’s life? In the case as such, the mother should just throw away her own life. Additionally, the mother should just give up on her own life and give away her body if she cannot even have the choice to determine what takes place within and to her body as well. In another case, Thomson describes waking up next to a violinist that needed your own blood type in order to survive. You woke up just to find out that the two of you would be attached to one another for the next nine months, in order to discontinue this attachment, would immediately lead to the death of this violinist. Thomson provides the argument that in a situation where another person’s life may outweigh your own, then you are left to no avail. (Thomson 4). This defends the statement that since all violinists are people, then they cannot disband and

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