...Abortion is an unduly argumentative issue that can provoke very strong feelings on both sides of the debate because it is wrong and it’s murder but it is also an option for mothers who are not ready. Everyday a tragedy greater than September 11, 2001 takes place, but there is nobody talking about the tragedy called abortion. On September 11th , 3000 people were killed, but everyday more than 3,000 babies and deliberately killed. Abortion is defined as the “ removal of the embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy” (dictionary.com). Abortion is commonly know as the easy way out. In 2011, approximately 1.06 million abortions took place in the U.S., down from an estimated 1.21 million abortions in 2008, 1.29 million in 2002,...
Words: 375 - Pages: 2
...Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to vitality (unknown author, 2013). An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case, it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced which is the intentional removal of a fetus or embryo from the uterus. The term abortion most commonly refers to the induced abortion of a human pregnancy. From my own point of view, this practice is no different from murder because there is an actual life being terminated in the process therefore, I strongly disagree that the act of abortion is a good practice. To support my point of view, the issue ‘Abortion’ would be discussed using four main topics, which are; Reasons why people commit abortion, methods of abortion, damages of abortion to the woman’s physiology, effects of abortion on the economy, Christian views, and lastly a suggestion that prevent women from participating in abortion....
Words: 1681 - Pages: 7
...ENGL 1001 – 22 Catherine Joseph September 25, 2012 Annotated Bibliography Abortion: Parental Consent Abortion is defined as the removal of a fetus or embryo from the uterus or a termination of pregnancy. The abortion debate is full of controversy as two opposing groups (pro-life/pro-choice) argue about the legal and ethical issues surrounding the debate. Sarah Glazer, author of the article “Roe v. Wade at 25,” discusses the 1973 Supreme Court cases that legalized abortion, which thus sparked unprecedented social change and the unsettling debate of abortion. One major aspect regarding this issue is parental consent; it is still undetermined [on both a state and federal level] whether parents should be involved in a minor’s decision to terminate a pregnancy. The following sources provide both pro-life and pro-choice perspectives over whether parental consent should be required or not. Many of the sources supported the idea of parental consent through a pro-life perspective. In Charles S. Clark’s article titled, “Teenagers and Abortion,” he expresses the idea of how parents have the right to be involved in any medical decisions regarding their child and suggests that teens may be too immature to make a grave, life-changing decision on their own. Hyman Rodman, author of “Should Parental Involvement be Required for Minors Abortions,” expresses the idea of how parental consent can benefit teens as they are able to make a better decision about their pregnancy with the input of...
Words: 1156 - Pages: 5
...Abortion is a very controversial social issue that has existed for many decades. The controversy behind this issue is caused by the different views that people and societies have regarding abortion. The social science disciplines of political science and religion will be used in getting a better understanding of the opposing views of abortion. In discussing the religious aspects of abortion, this paper will focus on the Jewish and Catholic views of abortion and how the two faiths effect an individual s decision upon having an abortion. When discussing the political controversy regarding abortion, this paper will discuss the abortion laws in Canada and the United States as well as the pro-choice and anti-choice movements of abortion. Society is greatly affected both socially and politically by abortions due to the different moralistic views regarding abortions and the controversies surrounding abortions. What are the views of the Catholic and Jewish religions on having abortions and how do their different views effect society? How is society effected by the political controversies behind abortions? Religion and Abortion Abortion is an issue that causes extreme divisions among various religious groups due to the laws of the religions, in particular, those of the Jewish and Christian religions. The Jewish religion is based on the belief in one G-d as well as respecting the laws that G-d imposed on the Jews. The Jewish people are expected to do what is just and merciful in the...
Words: 2587 - Pages: 11
...these ethical concepts include the principals of autonomy, beneficence and social justice. Ethics provide a moral pathway in which individuals pick to find their way out of difficult issues. Individuals have many different derived concepts, or moral pathways, controversies that cause ethical dilemmas can become apparent. Such dilemmas can be seen in the health care delivery system of the United States and the policies that are enforced within it. One ethical argument in particular that poses issues and controversy regards society having the responsibility to provide or fund insurance that covers the cost of contraceptives when it is against the individual’s personal or religious beliefs. Ethical Dilemma/ Policy Issue: The term “conscientious objection” is the refusal to perform a legal role or responsibility because of personal beliefs. Conscientious objection in health care means that some practitioners might choose to not provide certain treatments to their patients as well as some parents may not choose to consent to certain treatments for their children. Under “Conscientious Objection” lies the term “Conscience Clause” which first came about under Roe vs. Wade, during the Supreme Court decision that outlawed abortion. Under...
Words: 2976 - Pages: 12
...Student’s Name Institution’s Name Course Name Submission Date Abortion With the expansion of personal freedoms through the constitutional provisions, abortion has become a question of personal choice rather than a moral question. Yet there are those who still argue that individuals should not be given the prerogative to decide if they should carry their pregnancies to term, even if that pregnancy is as a result of rape. All these arguments are misguided. In this paper, I propose that the question of aborting or not should be left to the individual(s) who has the responsibility of bringing up the child if at all the pregnancy is taken to full term. Proponents of Pro-choice argue that women who have procured an abortion have a higher propensity of suffering from a broad spectrum of mental health complications such as agoraphobia, panic attack, panic disorder, major depression, bipolar disorder and substance-abuse anomalies (Coleman et al. 45). Notably, these side effects are bound to affect women who have procured abortion and this is largely due to the fact that with opposition still coming from some sections of our societies, these women are denied their rightful societal place due to discrimination. Most of them balk away from the society as they suspect, and accurately so, that they will be discriminated against by the very people who are supposed to provide moral and psychological help. In fact, the propensity of these women to retreat into these psychological...
Words: 739 - Pages: 3
...Prenatal Genetic Testing and The Ethical Controversies SBI3U 15 April 2015 1 PRENATAL GENETIC TESTING 2 Prenatal Genetic Testing and The Ethical Controversies Introduction Every introduction should start with a shocking fact about the topic, generally to piqué the interest of the reader. The problem is, surrounding the topic of prenatal genetic testing, there isn’t anything that is particularly shocking or interesting anymore. Anything that has a potential to injure a ‘helpless’ fetus, the public has already been informed of and the information has already been extremely exaggerated. The myth of prenatal genetic testing being dangerous has been greatly over told, and is a rather old notion according to a great number of medical journals such as: United States National Library (Gates, 2009), UConn (Pennington, 2011), and many others listed in the references page. Prenatal genetic testing is the process of testing for potential genetic disorders or defects. Doctors and geneticist can now test for over 4000 diseases that are caused or influenced by a fetus’ genetic makeup. The tests can be invasive or noninvasive, and the risks associated with both categories of tests have been greatly reduced since genetic testing was first introduced to modern medicine. Although the risks to the mother and the fetus, there are still many ethical controversies discussed among people who actually are informed about the subject...
Words: 1905 - Pages: 8
...reference to the topic you have investigated. The topic that I have chosen to investigate is Abortion. Abortion is the premature termination of a pregnancy and foetus. There are two types of Abortion one being natural and procured. A natural Abortion happen without any human interference and are called miscarriages. On the other hand, Procured Abortions come about through the use of contraceptive or medical procedures. There are a number of methods used to commit an abortion. One method of abortion is an early medical abortion which involves taking two pills, which happens up to nine weeks of pregnancy. Another method of abortion is a suction termination from 7 to 15 weeks of pregnancy which uses a gentle suction to remove the foetus from the womb likewise there is a surgical dilation and evacuation from 15 weeks of pregnancy and finally a late abortion from 20-24 weeks. Pro-Choice supporters think that Abortion is acceptable as it is the right of the mother to do what she wants. On the other hand, Pro-Life supporters think the opposite and prioritise the rights of the Foetus, as they see the undeveloped potential of each individual foetus and say that every foetus has the potential to grow into a great person, and abortions mean that it can never happen. Abortion is a very controversial topic as religious views may go against abortion for example christians believe that abortion is morally wrong as in the bible our bodies are referred to as a temple and therefore should not...
Words: 1750 - Pages: 7
...Stem Cell 2 The debate and controversy on stem cell research is so pervasive and passionate that we can get lost in the argument. Let us first explain what the definition of stem cell is: A stem cell is a “generic” cell that can make exact copies of itself indefinitely. In addition, a stem cell has the ability to produce specialized cells for various tissues in the body such as heart muscle, brain tissue, and liver tissue. Scientists are able to maintain stem cells forever, developing them into specialized cells as needed. There are two basic types of stem cell: Embryonic stem cells- these are obtained from either aborted fetuses or fertilized eggs that are left over from in vitro fertilization (IVF). They are useful for medical and research purposes because they can produce cells for almost every tissue in the body. Adult stem cells- these are not as versatile for research purposes because they are specific to certain cell types, such as blood, intestines, skin, and muscle. The term “adult stem cell” may be misleading because both children and adults have them (Healthline, online). The most controversial one is embryonic stem cells because it brings up a huge debate from research opponents who say it is wrong because it destroys human life and supporters say the embryos were going to be destroyed anyway, and that research from their cells holds the potential to cure debilitating diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Creating embryos intended only for research...
Words: 1375 - Pages: 6
...between the law and morality is one which has been a source of discussion and controversy for a whole host of reasons. It can be argued that although it is fundamentally futile for a particular moral vision to not influence law making, is it just for one’s perception of what is morally right to hinder the rights of others who may not share such moral visions? In a democracy, we the people decide who makes the laws for us – preferably the laws should reflect the moral vision of the people who we choose to represent us. However, due to the complex nature of morality the value system of the people tends to be varied. Thus, the law does not please everybody and as a result the rights of some individuals are hindered due to the contrasting moral vision of others. The purpose of this essay is to explore the way in which abortion as an issue is one which has been greatly affected by adverse moral visions. As a result, the rights of individuals in Ireland who may disagree with that vision have been affected. The Enactment of the 8th Amendment. The lawfulness of abortion under the constitution of Ireland can be considered as a topic which has sparked much debate between dissimilar views on abortion and bodily autonomy in Ireland. Kingston wrote that before the insertion of the eight amendment into the Irish constitution in 1983, the constitution didn’t contain any specific provision on the topic of abortion. Article 40.3 affirmed that the state guarantees to respect its citizens, and...
Words: 2050 - Pages: 9
...Applying an Ethical Theory Moral or Ethical dilemmas are an everyday occurrence in our society. The situations present two options as solutions from which one is expected to choose. There is an expectation though that one will choose the option that is considered moral. Ethical questions or problems face every human being at some point in life. One such moral question is; “is it right for women to have abortions”. Abortion has been a major cause of controversy all around the world, with people having different views on whether abortion is good or bad based on their moral beliefs. The main issue that surrounds this ethical dilemma is whether the fetus should have rights to life. Another issue is whether there is justification for a woman to perform abortion based on the rights to her body considering the fetus also has rights to life (Tännsjö, 2008). The deontological theory is not in support of abortion; the objection though, is that women also have rights over their bodies. Discussion Deontological ethics is a moral theory that is in line with common sense intuitions, the scriptures, and natural moral duties or rules. The theory mainly focuses on compliance with moral duties or rules. The main principles of the theory include a task should be carried out for the sake of the obligation. For instance, there is a duty not to do certain things such as murder, lie or break promises since these acts are considered to be wrong. The expected consequences define what the duty is...
Words: 891 - Pages: 4
...I. On January 22, 1973 the Supreme Court decided one of the most controversial cases in United States history, but the debate was just beginning. The landmark case of Jane Roe v. Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade was not only symbolic of the progress of women’s rights, but an indication of judicial activism and its potentially damaging affects. It began as a fight for an unmarried young woman and her desire to terminate her pregnancy, even though it did not pose serious physical danger to her health. But, in the process of this struggle, an unprecedented judicial involvement emerged. II. This paper will first provide the necessary expository information, highlighting the central characters in this historical case, the political climate of the Supreme Court Justices during the trial, as well as a earlier case, Griswold v Connecticut which preceded Roe v. Wade. The paper will discuss the proceedings of the case at both the District and Supreme Court levels. Following, this paper will debate the surface issues of the abortion controversy, Roe as a precedent for future cases (Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Stenberg v. Carhart, and the breaking news decision of Gonzales v. Carhart), and the implied right(s) of the Constitution. III. In the 1970s, Linda Coffee and Sarah Weddington, two hot shot young lawyers from Texas, recruited Norma McCorvey as lead plaintiff under the alias “Jane Roe” in a class action suit lawsuit on behalf of US women everywhere...
Words: 1566 - Pages: 7
...Chapter 30: Economic and Social Change in the Late 20th Century Economic, cultural, and social changes have affected America greatly in the late twentieth century. The population since 1980 has become increasingly older, urban, diverse, southern, and western. Declining birth rates and rising life expectancy combined to produce an aging population. Between 1970 and 1990 most American financial and industrial growth occurred in the South and West, the Sunbelt. The Sunbelt also proved attractive to large numbers of new immigrants from Latin America and Asia. Lyndon Johnson's 1965 Immigration Act laid the basis for an increased volume and diversity of immigrants. Modern legislation has attempted to limit immigration to political refugees, and also to curb illegal immigration, while raising the number of immigrants with specific skills. Continued flight of businesses and individuals to the suburbs brought transformation and crisis in the nation's urban areas, but the 1990s witnessed a revival and renewal in some major cities. Technological change has ushered in amazing economic transformations. The most noteworthy new technologies are those in biotechnology, high-performance computing, and communications systems. Innovations in credit, electronic banking, franchising, and globalization, especially through the widespread use of computers, have affected business. Employment in traditional manufacturing areas declined while unions saw their membership and political power...
Words: 1011 - Pages: 5
...Teenage Abortion and How Parental Involvement Affects Risk Kenneth F. Cyrus Over the past several decades, the issue of abortion has evoked controversy, hostility and even violence. The church, State and special interest organizations expound on the pros and cons of abortion rights. Often these abortion rights are fueled by moral, ethical, religious and legal arguments both in favor of Right to Life, as well as Pro-Choice. The issues become more complex where abortion involves a teenager, as the teenager's rights vs. parental involvement contributes to the hot debate on who has the legal right to choose. The woman has every right to decide whether she wants to carry the pregnancy to full term or to have an abortion. However, since unprotected sex results in unplanned pregnancy, parents should have a say in abortion decision. The physical health risk of abortion is very low when done in the early stages of pregnancy and in qualified abortion clinic. Ninety Seven percent of women who have abortion in their first trimester have no complications, and the risk for adolescents is low if done in the first trimester. (O'Keeffe & Jones.) The physical risks of abortion for teens is greater than that of their adult counterpart because teens have a longer approval process that increase the risk of the abortion been done in the second trimester. If the parents are a part of the decision then the approval process maybe shorter, eliminating the complications associated with late...
Words: 1960 - Pages: 8
...charged, prompting biologists to begin engaging in ethical debates, Stem cell research offers great promise for understanding basic mechanisms of human development and differentiation, as well as the hope for new treatments. However, human stem cell research also raises sharp ethical and political controversies. This paper will discuss the types of stem cells as well as some of the controversies involved in stem cell research. Introduction According to Wikipedia, stem cell can be defined as “biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide (through mitosis) and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells.” A stem cell could be regarded as one of the basic building blocks of the human body. Stem cells are important because they have the ability to become different cell types, and scientists are working on developing ways to use stem cells to repair or regenerate damaged organs or tissues. This could lead to therapies for a whole range of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's, although at present it is impossible to tell whether this will happen within a few years or even within our lifetimes. Furthermore, Scientists also say that by studying stem cells they will learn more about reproductive and cell biology and can also use this knowledge for drugs testing and development. Although, there is some debate among scientists about this. Broadly speaking, there are...
Words: 1712 - Pages: 7
