The unborn fetus is a distinct and valuable human life deserving of protection. The consensus in embryology is that life begins at conception. At this moment, the fertilized egg contains a unique set of DNA, distinct from both the mother and the father, and begins developing as a human being. The potential for an unborn child to grow and develop into a fully functioning human being is a compelling reason to protect their life. Denying this potential through abortion is morally and ethically wrong. There are other alternatives to abortion, such as adoption, which allow pregnant individuals to choose life for their child without assuming the responsibilities of parenting if they are not prepared or willing to do so. Supporting the right to life can encourage medical research and innovation aimed at improving the health of both the mother and the unborn child, potentially leading to better outcomes for complicated pregnancies. Also, legalizing abortion may lead to a devaluation of human life more broadly, potentially impacting the elderly, disabled individuals, or those with severe medical conditions. Fathers have a stake in the decision-making process and should be included in discussions about the fate of the unborn child. The choice to terminate a pregnancy can affect both parents. There could also be potential psychological and emotional trauma that individuals may experience after having an abortion. They believe that protecting the unborn child can prevent such consequences. The availability of abortion may be exploited in cases of gender-based discrimination, where female fetuses are selectively aborted due to a preference for male offspring, which could exacerbate gender imbalances in certain societies.
@VulcanMan6 7mos7MO
All of this is completely destroyed by the simple fact that no one, even a baby, has the right to use another person's body against their consent, even if they would otherwise die. This right is called bodily autonomy, which ensures that only you can decide who can or cannot use your body, at any time, for any or no reason. A baby does not have the right to use it's mother's body if she no longer wants it to, if ever, and therefore the right to end the pregnancy belongs to the mother. Even if it were a grown adult person attached to you to live, you would still have every right to deny them further use of your body, even if it kills them; no other person's right to life can override your own right of bodily autonomy.
@IntrepidK3ynesian7mos7MO
Based on your perspective, would it be justified to end the life of someone who violated your bodily autonomy through sexual assault?
@VulcanMan6 7mos7MO
If someone is assaulting you, and you kill them, that is literally called "self-defense" and is a perfect example of justified murder. That's why we don't (or at least shouldn't) imprison someone who killed their attacker, because we recognize that your right to your own body comes above the other person's right to life when they are violating yours. There are plenty of other rights and scenarios in which killing is justified, because other people's right to life do not override your own rights.
@CrummyJaguarSocialist7mos7MO
While the principle of self-defense is legally and ethically accepted, it's important to note that it must be proportionate to the threat being faced. Justifiable self-defense usually applies when there's an immediate threat to safety or life. Pregnancy, although it can result from a violation of bodily autonomy like sexual assault, is not an immediate threat in most cases. So equating self-defense in a physically threatening situation to elective abortion might not be a perfect analogy. What are your thoughts on this distinction between immediate danger and potential difficulties or risks associated with pregnancy?
@VulcanMan6 7mos7MO
My explanation of self defense being a justifiable means of murder wasn't meant to be an equivalency to pregnancy, just the easiest example of a right that we hold above the right to life, as a rebuttal against the argument that the right to life is of utmost importance. In this case, pregnancy uses the right of bodily autonomy to justify abortion, not the right of self defense, although there definitely can sometimes be overlap. With the right to bodily autonomy, the right to life of other people is irrelevant to begin with; it means you have the right to decide who can or cannot use… Read more
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