Ethics Integration: Abortion
Abstract
This integration paper considers specific ethical issue of the abortion. The opinions of proponents and opponents regarding this issue vary. Stassen and Gushee (2003) state that the legislation regulating abortion needs to be in accordance with ethical values of the society. The medical procedure of ending pregnancy is considered from point of conflict between personal choose and contravention of right to life. This paper examines researches of Stassen and Gushee (2003) and Matisson (2008) of the abortion issue in the framework of ethical values. The paper also includes analyze of the abortion issue involving ethical reasoning and decision-making process. On the background of analyze there is a conclusion that the abortion is a result of irresponsible actions. On the contrary, it prevents from negative consequences that are in contradiction with the values of ethics and moral entirely. Keywords: abortion, ethical values, ethical reasoningAbortionAbortion is ending of a pregnancy by means of medical procedure.
Additionally, it is a subject of ethical and legal disputes. It is a topic of political debates between Republicans and Democrats within the election process. Those who support the idea of abortion state that it is a right of own choose realized by individual. Those who have opposite point of view state that the abortion is a legalized homicide that contravenes right to life established in a scope of international conventions and local legislation. The dispute arises from two major issues. The first concerns a moment when the fetus becomes a person endowed with legal capacity. The second issue is confrontation of rights of a woman versus rights of the fetus. Previously mentioned issues create the specific dilemma together with backgrounds for debate. William C. Mattison (2008), the moral issue concerning abortion needs examination as it presents difference between people whose views differ from others (Mattison 30).The abortion should be considered from points of cultural, ethical and personal values and standards in order to clarify the decision that individuals should follow to deal with this issue.
Difficulties
The abortion creates disputable situation. The dilemma appears from conflict between own choose of individual and inviolable right to life. Moreover, there is no consent in issue of whether the fetus may be considered as a legal capable individual endowed with right to live. Lack of correct definitions of the problem make it questionable. That is the reason of uncertainty regarding scope, definitions and assumptions of the abortion. The previously discussed ethical values face with economic, cultural and social factors that influence the problem. The backgrounds of pregnancy crisis existing nowadays may be derived from economic and social conditions. To illustrate, in case of crisis and policy encouraging family and mothership some couples do not want to give birth to children. Additionally, if there is no policy supporting vulnerable people, these people can avoid creating family due to own predicament.
These categories of people cannot be judged as they would like to provide children with …
