II. Abortion has been a divisive factor and a source of controversy for decades in the United States since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case which declared the procedure a woman’s right (“Abortion”). The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an abortion as “the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus”, and pro-life and pro-choice advocates have debated this issue extensively. Those who are pro-life believe that “abortion is murder” of an unborn child, but opinions on if abortion is ever acceptable are debated as some pro-life supporters believe it is tolerable “in cases of rape or incest” while others believe it is never justifiable (“Abortion”). Pro-choice …show more content…
I personally am against abortion except in cases of rape, pregnancies in which the fetus has serious health defects, or pregnancies that will harm the mother. As a deontological thinker, when I consider how abortions go against principles such as a human’s unalienable right to life, found in the Declaration of Independence and also a doctor’s Hippocratic Oath, I come to the conclusion that abortions are unethical. Since I believe in the tradition of natural law, these creeds dictate what is moral and immoral, and, therefore, since abortion goes against these principles, it is immoral. I believe those who get abortions and those who perform the procedure lack the duty of non-maleficence. Those who choose to get an abortion are physically harming and killing the fetus, and they could even be psychologically harming couples who are unable to have children and who are looking to adopt, as not as many children will be available for adoption. Also, health professionals who provide abortions are supposed to save lives, not end them, clearly going against their professional obligation and showing their lack of non-maleficence. I also believe abortion patients and these health professionals have hard hearts, as the they are willing to end a human life while failing to turn to other, more ethical options such as putting the child up for adoption. I also believe those who get abortions are acting as teleological egoists, acting in a way that will lead them to the most desirable, easiest outcome for herself. Instead of getting an abortion, women should act with courage and strength and either put the child up for adoption or raise the child. Otherwise, if women are not looking to have a child, they should act with prudence, thoughtfully taking precautionary measures to not get pregnant in the first place, whether that be by using birth control or being abstinent, showing self-control and temperance over one’s desires. Lastly, I believe that those who get, support, or