...Appendix 2 Rights or Wrongs? Public attitudes towards moral values. Stephen Rule Are South Africans apathetic about their beliefs or highly tolerant of diverse opinions and behaviour? South Africa is renowned for having one of the most liberal constitutions in the world, but an HSRC representative national survey of 4 980 adults (aged 16 and older) during September and October 2003, indicates that Government policy on “moral” issues is more “progressive” than the attitudes of the electorate. Since the 1994 change of Government, the Termination of Pregnancy Act has been passed to permit abortion. Similarly, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and capital punishment for persons found guilty of murder, have been made unconstitutional. But according to the survey, most South Africans oppose abortion, same-sex adult sexual relationships and support capital punishment. All three issues are, however, hotly contested in civil society. Pro-life activists are objecting strongly to the termination of 300 000 pregnancies since 1996. Divisions exist within the Christian community with respect to consensual sex between adults of the same gender. The re-introduction of the death penalty is policy for several political parties. Public opinion gauged by the HSRC’s 2003 South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS) reflects this contestation. More than half (56%) of South African adults think that abortion is “always wrong” in the event of it being discovered that there is a strong...
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...Abortion is the termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in, or accompanied by the death of the fetus. ("Abortion," Encarta 98). In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, dramatically changed the legal landscape of American abortion law. The result of the ruling required abortion to be legal for any woman; regardless of her age and for any reason during the first seven months of pregnancy, and for almost any reason after that. ("Status of Abortion in America"). In the Roe v. Wade case, Roe (Norma McCorvey), had claimed she was gang raped and attempted to have an abortion in Texas. ("Roe and Doe"). After hearing the case, the Supreme Court ruled that an American’s right to privacy included the right of a woman whether or not to have children, and the right of a woman and her doctor to make that decision without state interference, at least in the first trimester of pregnancy. ("Celebrating 25 Years of Reproductive Choice"). The moral issue of abortion—whether or not it is murder—has been debated since it was legalized in 1973. Roe v. Wade has been one of the most controversial Supreme Court decisions of the 20th century. ("Roe No More"). More than two decades since the Supreme Court first upheld a woman’s right to abortion, the debate over the morality and legality of induced abortion continues in the United States. ("Abortion," Encarta 98). Abortion is one of the most divisive and emotional issues facing United States policy makers today. ("Economics of Abortion")...
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...Case Study #2 1. Abortion is murder, because murder is intentionally killing an innocent person. Therefore, abortion is wrong. Explicit premises: a. Abortion is Murder. b. Murder is intentionally killing an innocent person c. Abortion is wrong. Implicit premises: a. Abortion is a crime because it is murder b. Murder is wrong therefore abortion is wrong. 2. The rate of drowning increases with the rate of ice cream eating. Therefore, ice cream eating leads to drowning. Explicit premises: Rate of drowning increase with eating ice cream Eating ice leads to drowning Implicit premises: a. There is a causal connection between rate ice cream and drowning b. Drowning increases at the same rate as eating ice cream c. Therefore eating ice causes drowning 1. No cats are pleasant creatures. This is a mouse. Since it is not a cat, it is a pleasant creature. Determine whether the argument is sound or unsound. Then determine whether each argument is valid or invalid. The argument is invalid but unsound. The argument is invalid because the premise is not true and neither is the conclusion. Not all animals that aren’t cats are present, and not all cats are unpleasant creatures. 1. All cats are feral. Tabitha is a cat. Tabitha is feral. Show that the argument is invalid. Premise: All cats are feral Tabitha is a cat Therefore Tabitha must be feral The argument is invalid because it implies that Tabitha must be feral because she...
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...Don Marquis, “Why Abortion is Immoral” Marquis’ claim is that abortion is prima facie wrong because abortion deprives somebody (the fetus) of its future of value. Marquis observes that there is a stalemate in the arguments that both anti-abortionists and pro-choicers put forward about abortion: 1. The anti-abortionist argument 1) It is always prima facie wrong to take a human life. 2) A fetus is a human life from the moment of conception. 3) Abortion involves taking a human life, and is therefore prima facie wrong. A Problem with this argument: i) A cancer cell culture is also a human life (it is both living and human), but we don’t think it wrong to destroy cancer cell cultures. The anti-abortionist can try to overcome this problem by changing her argument to: 1) It is always prima facie wrong to kill human beings. 2) A fetus is a human being from the moment of conception. 3) Abortion involves killing human beings, and is therefore prima facie wrong. 2 problems with this argument: i) Are fetuses really human beings? ii) What is so special about human beings that makes it wrong to kill them? Why is killing human beings wrong, while killing rats or chickens is not? 2. The pro-choice argument 1) It is prima facie wrong to kill only persons.. 2) A fetus is not a person. 3) Therefore, abortion does not involve killing persons, and is not prima facie wrong. Problems with this...
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...“WHY WOMEN SHOULD NOT HAVE AN ABORTION” What it would be like to die so young and fragile? What it would be like to kill someone so young and fragile? Abortion to my definition is the taking of life. Nowadays more and more teens are getting pregnant and having abortions secretly and easily. Even their parents have no idea about this. And to be general not only the teenager do this kind of thing, many women in the entire world had abortion. I think if we asked that question about rape or murder we’d get a clear answer. Shouldn’t people be allowed to rape children if they want to, even if it is wrong? No! Shouldn’t people be given the freedom to steal a car from a dealership even if they know it’s wrong and most of us agree it’s wrong? Of course not! That just doesn’t make sense. It’s the same with abortion. They believe that there are many reasons to abort and it is okay, but I never accept those reasons. There are three important values why I as a woman should not have an abortion. It has to do with my human values, my religious values and my conscience. The first values why I should not have an abortion are related to my basic human values. I must be consider and think about the unborn babies who are not responsible for this situation. These babies have the right to live and grow as a normal person because that was one of the rights of a child even if he is still on the mother’s womb. I must also be humanitarian because in abortion it was just like killing a person...
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...Should Abortions Be Made Illegal? Abortion has always been a very controversial issue. This can be due to the fact that people have different beliefs that are emphasized by their own religion and set of moral values. Many people believe that abortion is wrong, but they believe that is it only wrong under certain circumstances. This could be true, but is it more right to kill for a specific reason than to just do it because you made an irresponsible decision? I believe that young teenage girls have the right to decide what to do with their own bodies, but they do not have the right to choose someone's lives. There are several ways that teens can prevent an abortion. What I would have to say is the biggest key to this problem is using a condom. If young teenage girls can remember to buy hair products, cloths, shoes, and accessories than why can’t they remember to buy a condom? Teens love to act mature and responsible but once they land in a horrible situation they turn to their parents. By using a condom they can prevent an unwanted baby. Why bring a baby into this world if you cannot provide for it and cherish it. If many teenage girls can go out and have fun and live for the moment they should also think about the future. Getting pregnant at any age should be a wonderful surprise and not the end of the world. Another way of preventing pregnancy is by getting a birth control shot or taking birth control pills. In today society there are many options to choose from. Abortion...
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...The Catholic View on Abortion Inside of the Catholic religion, there are many religious views that one should follow. One of the main religious views throughout the Catholic Church is being against abortion. The Catholic Church opposed all forms of abortion procedures whose direct purpose is to destroy an embryo, blastocyst, zygote or fetus, since it holds that “human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception”. Catholics are against murder and according to the Ten Commandments, it states “thou shall not murder” and they believe that destroying any type of human life is a huge sin. They believe that God has given precious life to grow inside of a woman and it must not be aborted. In the bible in the book of Jeremiah 1:5, it states, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Souls, 1) From the first moment of the unborn child’s existence, they have their rights as a person and it is wrong to take an innocent persons life. From that bible verse, it proves to Catholics the reason as to why abortion should not be done in all stages. Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo before viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is often called a miscarriage. It can also be purposely caused in which case it is known as an induced abortion. The term abortion most commonly refers...
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...Abortion Abortions are one of the many things that everyone has an opinion on. an abortion is, “the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus as a spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation--miscarriage, the induced expulsion of a human fetus, or the expulsion of a fetus by a domestic animal often due to infection at any time before completion of pregnancy.” Abortions have always been and will probably always be a controversial topic in which everyone will not agree upon. Some people believe it is a woman's prerogative to choose whether or not to have a child, while still many others believe it is "morally" wrong. On the other hand, there are moderates who disagree with the idea or the morality of abortion, but agree that there are certain circumstances that should give the woman the option. Morality should be a standard at all times and abortion should be no exception. The decision to have an abortion should not be a woman’s choice. Every human has the fundamental right to life. As human life, the fetus has a right to life, and so no one should deny them the opportunity to grow and develop. For those pro-abortion, if the issue lies in the uncertainty of when the fetus can be considered human life, then they should not abort since “if you aren’t sure when shooting in a bush if the target is your fellow hunter or a deer, don’t shoot.” Finally, it is to be said that...
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...immorality of abortion. What primarily makes killing wrong is neither its effect on the murderer nor its effect on the victim’s friends and relatives, but its effect on the victim. The loss of one’s life is one of the greatest losses one can suffer. The loss of one’s life deprives one of all the experiences, activities, projects, and enjoyments which would otherwise have constituted one’s future. Therefore, killing someone is wrong, primarily because the killing inflicts (one of) the greatest possible losses on the victim. This is one of the most hotly contested topics in today’s society. People adopt different viewpoints on this which include: • Abortion is wrong whatever the reasons • Abortion is permissible if the woman’s life is at risk • Abortion is acceptable for a variety of reasons Your opinion on whether abortion is acceptable or not very much depends upon your set of values. If you feel that it is a woman’s right to choose then you are likely to favor the ‘pro-choice’ stance. But if you argue that the fetus has rights and should be treated the same as any other human being then you will adopt the ‘pro-life’ stance. Opponents of abortion cite several reasons for their opposition which include the killing of an innocent human being, the fetus’s right to life, the responsibility of the woman towards the fetus and respect for all forms of life. There are people who are against abortion on principle but do recognize that there are situations in which abortion may be...
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...*075 Date: 11-22-10 Against Abortion “It’s easier to kill a person than to give a birth.” Is this the logic and reason of women who have abortions? Abortion has always been a controversial topic that has been the subject of debate many times by the pro-life and pro-choice groups. The pro-life group is against abortion while the pro-choice group is the group that thinks the mother should have a choice whether or not to abort a child. No matter what people are arguing about this subject, abortion is and will always be immoral. Even just the thought of an abortion is unethical. I do not approve in abortion because it is bloody and cruel, immoral, and risky for the mother unless the mother’s life is in danger. Many people believe that abortion is not bloody and cruel but a simple, cleanest and quickest process. However, they are wrong. How can we define abortion? Abortion is a removal of a baby from the uterus in order to end pregnancy. It sounds like abortion is taking out of a mother’s womb so that the mother will no longer be pregnant. In fact, it doesn’t sound that simple because whatever the surgery is, it is killing an innocent baby. In the first trimester, surgeons use the suction method to suck the baby out from the mother. At this time the baby is still very soft. When the baby is sucked out, it is a full pile of blood came out (http://www.abort73.com/HTML/AbortionPictures/images/abortion-09-02.jpg). If the abortion is carried out in the next trimesters...
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...Pro Choice Abortion Essay Pro-Choice Abortion Essay In 1973, the Supreme Court’s decision made it possible for women to get safe, legal abortions from well-trained medical surgeons, and therefore led to dramatic decreases in pregnancy-related injury and death (“abortion”). Now there is a new proposal to close abortion clinics. This proposal takes away the privacy rights of American women that are guaranteed by our Constitution. By closing abortion clinics the government is not only taking away women’s rights, but is also punishing those whom want to exercise their right of a pro-choice woman. Abortion clinics allow thousands of women every year to have abortions. Having the abortion should be woman’s personal choice. By closing these clinics, there will be no providers to perform the operation, so the choice has already been made for them. Closing the clinics will increase the barriers of having an abortion. When there are too many obstacles, the right to make their own choice is taken away from them. In 1973 the American Supreme Court ruled that Americans’ right to privacy included: “the right of a woman to decide whether to have children, and the right of a woman and her doctor to make that decision without state interference” (“abortion”). The Constitution says we have a right to privacy, so taking away a woman’s chance to make decisions about her own body violates that right. The American Civil Liberties Union defends the Constitution and peoples’ rights. ACLU...
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...Whose right is it: Abortion Alexander Ontiverios ENG 135 Advanced Composition Abortion a Woman’s Right to Choose The topic of abortion is one of the most controversial of our times. When does life begin? When, if ever, is it right to terminate a pregnancy? These are some of the moral dilemmas that are faced when dealing with the issues of abortion. These questions have caused long and brutal arguments between pro-life and pro-choice supporters. It is my personal belief that an unborn fetus is not a living being and abortion or birth of that fetus should be left up to the pregnant woman. I also believe that the present abortion laws according to Roe v Wade should be upheld in the United States. Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision that legalized abortions in the U.S. It was the case of a poor, pregnant woman who filed a lawsuit against the state law of Texas, which stated that abortions were illegal. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which meant that the decision made affected the nation on a whole. On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Jane Roe and stated that the 14th amendment guarantees an adult woman the right to seek termination of her pregnancy until viability (capable of living outside the uterus). From this day on, abortions in the United States were legal. No matter what people may believe abortion is neither right nor wrong. It is a matter of personal opinion. However, the question still remains; should abortion be legal? Though...
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...Abortion is defined as the deliberate termination of a pregnancy, usually before the embryo or fetus is capable of independent life. Therefore an abortion results in the death and/or murder of an embryo or fetus. Abortion is also illegal in many countries as it is destroying helpless and innocent children just because they are not capable of life. By killing these unborn infants, in my opinion, humans are actually hurting themselves. They are not allowing themselves to meet these identities and new personalities. Abortion is simply wrong. Every person on this earth is raised knowing the difference between right and wrong. We all know that murder is wrong, so why is abortion not wrong? People argue that it is not murder if the child is unborn, but abortion is murder. The fetus being destroyed is living, breathing and moving. Why is it that if a baby is killed a month before the birth, it is ok, but if it is killed a month after birth, it is murder? It is morally and strategically foolish, because we lose the middle when we talk about reproductive rights without reference to a larger moral and spiritual dimension, and we are unwilling to use language like transgression and redemption, or right and wrong. (Wolf 54) One of the main reasons abortions are immoral, is how they are so viciously conducted. Everyday innocent and harmless fetuses that very well could soon be laughing, lovable, and beautiful children are being brutally killed. One brutal form of an abortion is to cut the...
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...The argument whether abortion should be legal or not has been raging for years. In America where democracy rules and the right to freedom of choice are set at a high priority among citizens, it’s not hard to see pro-choice and pro-life ideals going head on. In this paper I will explain some of the major reasons woman have abortions, as well as how if we are truly a democratic society and we do have freedom, then pro-choice and legalizing abortion is the answer. I will also talk about ethical issues, and how the effect of legalized abortions has affected other countries, as opposed to countries where abortions are illegal. One of the major reasons some women have abortions is because they are too young, other reasons include not wanting to stop work or school, or simply can’t afford it. Some incidents of abortions include rape and incest which are big factors in under privileged countries like Africa. In developing countries, women have the additional concern of health risks and complications that occur as a result of unsafe practices in medical settings. This occurs when there is little social support, when a specific gender of a child is preferred or when governments enforce population control, such as China’s One Child Policy (Juggle, 2012). These reasons are consistent across numerous countries, but the difference between other countries and the US is that we have freedoms and inalienable rights which say woman have the right to make a choice. This country was founded...
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...an invasion of Japan would have been very costly and both sides would have had more losses. An argument against his decision would be that it was wrong to directly target civilians. It also caused long-term damage as many people developed cancer and other illnesses from the radiation left by the atomic bomb. Whether to use the atom bomb on Japan to end the 3 and a half year war. He used it, and it was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Japanese citizens and soldiers. But it did force the Japanese to surrender once and for all. I honestly think this was the wrong way to end the conflict; war is never the answered. Another ethical dilemma that attracts my attention is a situation in which a person is faced with two choices which conflict with their ethical system. Per example in your ethical system stealing is always wrong. Also letting one's family die from starvation is always wrong. A person in such a situation would be forced to commit one wrong to avoid committing another wrong. When it comes to an ethical dilemma a choice must be made and to steal is bad, but not so bad as to let your children starve. It is possible that by stealing the food you could be severely punished or even executed and that in itself is another dilemma. If I were a mother, I would steal food for my children, I know it will consider as a wrong reaction to society or...
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