(no subject)

[andrewducker]

Re: the previous post with the poll at the bottom.  If you say "other" then I'd be interested to know why, because I'd like to know which bases I didn't cover.

If you don't want to argue about it in public, feel free to drop me an email at andrew@ducker.org.uk and I _promise_ not to argue if you ask me not to.

Comments

[original-aj.livejournal.com]

I said other because my criterion is independant viability - the mother is not obliged to carry the foetus to term, since it is in effect a parasite, but if the foetus can survive independantly outside the womb then it should be removed (because of the mother's rights) but not killed. And yes I know that modern incubators & life support make "survive independantly" a difficult definition.
I suppose I feel we as a society should make best efforts to enable it to live, but the mother isn't obliged to be involved. And good, reliable contraceptives plus informative sex education which provides all the information and allows the individual to make their own decisions should be freely available to all.

[moniqueleigh]

Which is rather similar to what I said. :) Nice to know I'm not the only one thinking this way. For me, "survive independantly" would mean that "extreme" medical measures aren't necessary. Of course, then one has to define exactly what is considered "extreme." *sigh* Sticky questions, all.

[original-aj.livejournal.com]

If it was easy we wouldn't need philosophers! It has to be done on a case by case basis, really. These things are also much easier to theorise about than to deal with when it's for real and you have to make a decision with real consequences.

[moniqueleigh]

*nods* Most of my theories have developed over the years after knowing several women who've had to make the choice. It's never easy, but you're right in that it's less so when actually in the situation.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

Well, you know you didn't cover my base... ;-)

[andrewducker]

I had you down under "abortion is fine, foetuses have no rights", two statements you've stood by.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

I don't agree "All abortion is ok" though I certainly agree with "the foetus has no rights". Forced abortion is not okay.

You omitted "It's the pregnant woman's decision, and hers only" from your poll, which is my base. The nearest option, I guess, would have been option three.

[andrewducker]

Aah, I thought the mother's right to choose was implicit in the "abortion is ok" one - after all, if there's no foetus to object, who else is going to be choosing to have the abortion?

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

In some countries, and at some times, the government gets to decide that a woman will have an abortion. In some countries, and at some times, the woman's busband, or his father gets to decide that a woman will have an abortion.

[andrewducker]

Good point.

Number two should have read "The woman has rights to her body, the foetus has none, abortion is always her decision"

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

"the woman's busband"

...duh. Husband, not busband. Or bus-band...