Utilitarianism on abortion. Using Utilitarianism to Address Abortion 2022-10-22

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Utilitarianism is a moral theory that holds that the best action is the one that maximizes overall well-being. When applied to the issue of abortion, the utilitarian approach would be to consider the well-being of all affected parties and choose the action that maximizes well-being for the greatest number of people.

One argument in favor of abortion from a utilitarian perspective is that it can help to prevent unwanted children from being born into difficult circumstances. It is possible that these children might not be well cared for, or that they may be subjected to abuse or neglect. By allowing women to obtain abortions, we can prevent these children from coming into existence and experiencing suffering.

Another argument in favor of abortion from a utilitarian perspective is that it can help to reduce the overall suffering in society. Unintended pregnancies can disrupt the plans and goals of the people involved, leading to stress, financial strain, and other forms of suffering. By allowing women to obtain abortions, we can reduce the overall amount of suffering in society.

On the other hand, one argument against abortion from a utilitarian perspective is that it causes the direct suffering of the fetus. While the fetus is not yet a person with the same moral status as an adult, it is still a living being with the potential to experience pleasure and pain. Abortion causes the death of the fetus and therefore causes suffering.

Another argument against abortion from a utilitarian perspective is that it can have negative consequences for the woman obtaining the abortion. While abortion may help to reduce suffering in some cases, it can also cause emotional, physical, and psychological harm to the woman. These negative consequences could outweigh any potential benefits from a utilitarian perspective.

In conclusion, the utilitarian approach to abortion is complex and nuanced, requiring a careful consideration of the well-being of all affected parties. While there are arguments on both sides, ultimately the best course of action will depend on the specific circumstances and the relative weight given to the various factors involved.

Ethics of Abortion and Utilitarianism

utilitarianism on abortion

Sheila is very aware of any possible detriments if she gives birth to the twins because her sister has a child with Cystic Fibrosis. There are many arguments both in favour and against abortion in ethics. Currently, approximately 42% of termination of pregnancy among teenagers and women of 35yrs and above take place under safe, legal measures. One could argue that what makes human beings so special for Kant is their autonomy, their ability to freely make moral decisions, and this is the basis for their special value, which Kant calls dignity. Often, a child produced from a rape will be put up for adoption, which can affect their future and attitude.


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Utilitarianism And Abortion In John Stuart Mill's View

utilitarianism on abortion

For each of these, we would have to separately determine whether an abortion increases or decreases their happiness or how it affects their well-being. The concern of utilitarianism is pleasure and pain, the amounts of pleasure and pain in circumstances where abortion is allowed. A common pro-choice argument is that the mother of a baby has a right to defend herself against personal threats Thomson, 1971. When using the utilitarian consequential principle of ethics, we establish a set of general morals and rules in which we can apply to every moral question based upon our utilitarian findings. The options are which path to take in life. The fact is, though, that legal and professionally conducted abortions pose very little risk to the mother. Primarily, more than 40 million terminations took place from 1973 to 2000.

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Utilitarianism and Abortion Essay

utilitarianism on abortion

Conclusion Abortion is a highly controversial topic and there are many arguments for and against abortion in ethics. Other deontological arguments in regards to abortion have to do with different religions. So we have to be a little careful about how we argue this point. Legal Procedure refers to the strategies for enforcing legal rights such as pleadings, lawsuits, and rules of evidence. This paper intends to discuss the issue of abortion along with examining what utilitarian scholars think on the abortion and several other related issues.

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Utilitarianism In John Mill's View Of Abortion

utilitarianism on abortion

Using Utilitarianism to Address Abortion The topic of abortion is embedded in a series of moral complications that have drifted the society into the pro-life and pro-choice groups while individuals are arguing using different theories such as the theory of Utilitarianism for defense. Utilitarian theory does not endorse such theories because greatest principle of happiness suggests that abortion does not make most people very An Abortion Is the Deliberate Killing of a Human Being Abortion is one of the most controversial and frequently debated topics in the world. Abortion denies the right of the eternal being to have a mortal experience and also learning experience in this world. The main controversy is the question of legalization of abortion, which ties into ethical issues, emotions, and political issues or laws. In abortion, it is not the removal of tissue or the withdrawal of an indistinct organic mass of material; in abortion, it is the death of a baby. In order to make a just decision, it is important to examine the course of history to understand what types of behavior have led to the most utility in the past. An unwanted pregnancy can cause the mother to be unable to finish her studies, for example, or to get a job, potentially pushing a whole family into poverty.

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The Abortion and the Utilitarian View Essay on Abortion

utilitarianism on abortion

Right and wrong aspects of any action are decided on the basis of pleasure and pain in this principle of john Stuart mill. In terms of utility, the actual act of abortion is not a particularly significant one. The Utilitarian would choose wether or not an abortion is morally correct solely based on the consequences of the circumstances. On the other hand, Mill argues that the mortality ground of any action should be embedded in happiness. At the same time, the legality of abortion does not change the percentage of abortions performed: And regardless of whether abortion is legal or not, people still require and regularly access abortion services.

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Utilitarianism And Abortion Analysis

utilitarianism on abortion

Considering the fetus a part of the social contract is more difficult to justify. We will discuss the problem of when exactly the fetus becomes a human being below; but even if we assume that the fetus is human, we still have to weigh the interests of two humans the mother and the fetus against each other. Why is ethics considered to be an essential and distinctive aspect of humanity? Abortion would be morally permissible if it results in the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. Furthermore it will explain that the ethical issues when dealing with abortion should not be solely focused on what is right or wrong but based on circumstance of the conception and whether or not the woman is prepared to bear a child. Some positive or neutral attitudes may ignore different sides of the problem and could be just giving the moralists a dig for their disapprobatory public mood. An in depth overview of both arguments will be presented in the paper, as well as a critique of both the pros and cons that stem out from the question-begging arguments.

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Is Abortion Ethical?

utilitarianism on abortion

Is Abortion Morally Wrong 948 Words 4 Pages In Carol Gilligan 's essay, "Concepts of Self and Morality," a college student answers the question of what morality should be by stating, "The basic idea that I cling to is the sanctity of human life" 171. Moreover, your grades will be consistent. As Vive outlined above, it is my belief that abortion is not immoral for many reasons. However, some people may argue that such a world is more likely to lead to irresponsible parenting and a lack of consideration for the rights of unborn children. In the case of abortion, virtue ethicists would look at the virtues of the mother involved in the decision.

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Utilitarianism and Abortion: Mill's Principle of Utility and Bentham's Felicific Calculus

utilitarianism on abortion

Short term happiness of a few is not what should determine such impactful decisions. We can not expect every child to have a perfect genetic make-up. Happiness and pain are determined as per quality and amount in every incident though it is not that for easy to test the things unless someone has tested the amount of both pleasure and pain. I believe this is important because as a society we have to determine on what occasion and why abortion should be morally permissible, …show more content… Utilitarianism is concerned with the outcome of decisions and to act to produce the best consequences possible. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. For example, if you know that someone will be harmed if you tell them the truth, you still have a duty to tell them the truth.


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