To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school…it is to solve some of the problems of life, not only theoretically, but practically. – Henry David Thoreau
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Infinity Can Not Be Defined By One
Abortion is one of the most controversial topics in the modern world. Whether your beliefs are rooted in religion or shaped by your environment, you have created some form of an opinion on when life begins. The debate about the rights of an unborn child has pitted political parties and even family members against each other.
The most common view of the pro-life community states that abortion should be illegal because it ignores the human rights of a living organism. This political group advocates for the fetus' life because they believe that every person possesses potential to improve the world. Some members of this group question why women pursuing an abortion do not consider options such as adoption in order to preserve the child's life while having "little effect" on the mother. The answer to their question is that though the preservation of a life would be optimal, very few scenarios pertaining to abortion are considered cookie-cutter.
So many circumstances exist in which a woman would consider an abortion. Some include pregnancy by rape, incest, or simply monetary resources. The post traumatic stress the rape victim is feeling would be amplified by the constant reminder in her womb. Because it is a natural instinct to escape pain, abortion is an understandable action to take. Other women pursue an abortion because the pregnancy is a health risk to the mother or in some special circumstances, the mother and father do not know that sex can produce a child due to mental disorders and diseases. Unfortunately, adoption is not applicable to each of these circumstances. For example, if a mother gave birth to a child that put her health at risk, she could die while the child would live. An adoption might provide the child with a better chance at life, but the mother loses her future in the process. These life decisions are not made lightly.
Overall, my position on abortion is skewed because of my adoption. I realize that my birth mother could have easily had an abortion which would result in my nonexistence. The thought of this is quite disconcerting and yet, I still believe that people have a right to choose whether or not they will undergo the procedure. It is their body, and I do not think that the infinite scenarios can be defined by one law. What is ethical is circumstantial, and it is not easy to apply a single ethical view point on an infinite amount of possibilities.
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I really appreciate how you can take a carefully evaluated stance on this problem aside from your personal story. I also believe that it is the mother's right to go through abortion, not because she is trying to annihilate a life but because she does not have confidence in offering a happy life for the child. Because of the motherly nature, I believe abortion must be more or less painful for the mother. Also, I kind of question the difference between birth control and abortion, as both of them decline the possibility of lives being born to the world.
ReplyDeleteI found your personal stance on this issue very interesting. Your perspective is one I never considered. I really like how you take into consideration all of the reasons one might get an abortion. People have a tendency to take a "right" or "wrong" stance on ethical dilemmas, but in reality it's never that easy. That's why I believe that passing laws like abortion is illegal or legal is quite ignorant because, as you said, the whole situation is so much more complicated.
ReplyDeleteYou have a very unique perspective on the topic. As a feminist, I often find myself believing that all feminist must believe in abortion, or at least the right to choose abortion. I appreciate how you examined why someone might need one before examining it's ethical value, and how you explained the issue, rather than dismissing it as right or wrong.
ReplyDeleteMicha, your statement that "what is ethical is circumstantial" is a very insightful lens to look through - whether talking about abortion or any other issues that can become ethically entrenched. Often the nuances of a situation and edited out conform to our sound bite culture, which thrives on painting issues as black or white. Yet when one delves deeply into the circumstances of any issue, polarities often give way to seemingly infinite shades of grey. At this juncture it is usually best for boiler plate responses to yield to critical thought, an open-mind and contemplation.
ReplyDeleteI really like your perspective on this, especially your personal connection. I think you found a good balance in seeing both sides of the story, especially the fact that giving birth to a baby might put the mothers life at risk physically. That point tends to not be a prominent one in this issue so I found it interesting to hear your perspective on that.
ReplyDeleteWhile agreeing that abolishing abortion enhance basic human rights, I do think that sometimes not doing abortion is also an irresponsible act. Because some family are just not ready to have children. They may be financially unavailable thus cannot produce a good growing environment for their children. Everyone has equal rights, so does unborn children. However, it is not right if their birth causes pain to a family, and their happiness is not guaranteed.
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