Should Abortion Be Permissible Essay Example for Free

Should Abortion Be Permissible Essay Be certain to ensure your scope is adequately narrow enough to focus on distinction points within the examined point and you’ll do even better than you already have I am going to argue that it is always permissible for a woman to have an abortion no matter the circumstances. Abortion has been a worldwide debate for several years now where people generally either take the side of pro-life or pro-choice. The biggest problem about abortion is deciding when a baby becomes a part of the human community or a human being and who makes these decisions. While there are many different philosophers who have written about their beliefs on this topic, I will use Don Marquis’ article arguing why abortion is immortal and Judith Jarvis Thomson’s article defending abortion. I have always had a very strong opinion on abortion and Judith Jarvis Thomson has only helped solidify my argument. Although Don Marquis presents some very powerful and reasonable arguments against abortion, I will argue that Judith Jarvis Thomson’s defense of abortion is stronger and more reasonable. In Thomson’s article â€Å"A Defence of Abortion†, she states several different arguments which discuss the difference between unjust and not unjust. â€Å"The right to life consists not in the right not to be killed, but rather in the right not to be killed unjustly† (Thomson, 1986). Thomson’s view on abortion is that everything focuses on whether or not the fetus has the right to be using a woman’s body. If the fetus does not have the right, then it is not unjust to abort the baby. Thomson believes that most of the time a fetus does not have the right to use a woman’s body; therefore in this instance it is permissible to have an abortion. Every person has individual responsibilities depending on different aspects of their life. (Responsibilities and knowledge ? ) In order to better relay her argument, Thomson uses several unique examples that have nothing at all to do with abortion, but the examples can be completely interchangeable with her arguments on abortion. Imagine that without any consent, a famous, unconscious violinist is attached to your circulatory system. It has been decided that you were the only person available who has the same blood type as the violinist and in order to save his life yours has been sacrificed. After nine months he will be able to live on his own, but if he is unplugged before then he will die. If the violinist was replaced with a fetus, how would this example differ? It wouldn’t at all. A fetus stays in a woman’s body for nine months, using most if not all of the woman’s organs to survive. The difference between this example and planned pregnancy is that there was no consent given for the fetus to use the mother’s body. Therefore, there are no moral obligations to keep the fetus (or person in the violinist example) alive. On the other hand, not sharing a box of chocolates that two brothers had the same rights to is being completely unjust. An example about a burglar is used to explain Thomson’s second major point. You open a window because it is too warm, fully aware that there are burglars around and a burglar climbs in the window. This example compares to voluntarily engaging in sexual intercourse and being fully aware of the possible outcome of becoming pregnant. Because it is voluntary and the person has complete knowledge of the possible consequences, there is no moral obligation to keep the fetus (or burglar) alive. Just because a woman engaged in sexual intercourse with full knowledge that she could get pregnant (inviting the fetus in) does not give the fetus a right to be using her body, therefore it is unjust. Similar to the burglar example is the â€Å"people seeds† example. Imagine there were â€Å"people seeds† and if they entered your house, you would become pregnant. You took all of the precautions by putting special net screens on the windows, but there is always that small chance that a seed could enter the house and it does. Everything is the same in this example as the previous one, except all necessary precautions were taken. Unfortunately consequences resulted in a defect in protection; therefore there is still no moral obligations to keep the fetus (seed) alive. Don Marquis began his article titled â€Å"Why Abortion is Immortal† by splitting it into two positions which included Sanctity of Life Position and the Fetus is Not a Person Position. The Sanctity of Life Position or Pro-Life argues that a fetus is human life and it is naturally wrong to take a human life, therefore abortion is morally wrong. The anti-abortionist will say â€Å"It is always prima facie seriously wrong to take a human life† (Marquis, 1989). Marquis claims that this position is way too broad because it mainly focuses on the wrongness of killing which covers too much. On the other hand, the Fetus is Not a Person Position or Pro-Choice argues that a fetus is not a developed person and it lacks psychological characteristics that constitute a person and is not a social or a human being. The pro-choicer will say, â€Å"It is only seriously wrong to take the life of a member of the human community† (Marquis, 1989). Therefore, abortion is not wrong because a fetus is not a person. Marquis claims that this position is too narrow because it concentrates on â€Å"finding a moral principle concerning the wrongness of killing†. Marquis believes that in the abortion debate people are focusing on the wrong things. He says that we need to focus more on the morality of life taking and less about personhood. The very first thing he brings up is that every person deserves the same right to life that we have. This is his first point arguing against abortion because he says that it completely takes away the fetus’s future and its right to life. He believes that abortion is extremely wrong, just as morally wrong as killing a person. He then goes on to discuss the three main reasons why he believes that killing is wrong: (1) killing brutalizes the one who kills because killing is immortal, (2) killing results in others experiencing a great loss, and (3) killing results in the removal of a person from basic society needs. A fetus is completely dependent on its mother or care taker. If placed in the wild it would most likely die, a fetus does not have the proper physical characteristics or abilities to take care of itself therefore I do not believe that a fetus is a human being. â€Å"All humans, whatever their race, gender, religion or age, have the right to life† (Marquis, 1989). I could not agree more with Marquis when he says that all humans have the right to a valuable future like our own. As Thomson would also agree, but she would argue that a fetus is not a human, as previously stated, consequently this would not apply to abortion through Thomson’s eyes. . M – wrong with killing – (Kant) imperfect duty to ourselves, value of life in general, killing is brutal because it is immortal b. Euthanasia c. Argument: bringing someone into the world that a woman does not want or does not have the resources to take care of child Another debatable point that Thomson brings up is the chance of a mother dying during pregnancy. Thomson states, â€Å"†¦I am not claiming that people have a right to do anything whatever to save their lives. I think, rather, that there are drastic limits to the right of self-defense† (Thomson, 1986). Killing the mother and letting the mother die are just as equally unjust. In other words watching the mother die and not doing a thing about it is equally immoral as killing her, therefore Although I am pro-choice and fully agree with Thomson and her arguments, it is very common for depression to occur after an abortion is completed. Marquis brings this point up when he discusses his reasons as to why killing is wrong. He states that killing brutalizes the one who kills. In order for me to agree with this statement when talking about abortion I would have to substitute killing and kills for abortion and aborts. Marquis’s third statement about why killing is wrong is â€Å"a killing results in the deprivation of all of another’s experiences, activities, projects, and enjoyments that would otherwise have contributed her future† (Marquis, 1989). Abortion does not fit under this category at all because abortion is legal. If a thirty-four year old person was killed, the murderer would obviously go to jail for performing an illegal action and would be deprived of all of his experiences, activities, etc.

Insignificance Of Words :: essays research papers

The Insignificance of Words A man walks down a dimly lit street; the bright red lights above the hospital’s exit are now just a faint glow behind him. As he staggers along the city blocks back to his quiet row home, he ponders the tragic news he has just received regarding his mother’s failing health. A couple blocks from the refuge of his home, he runs into some of the neighborhood locals. Some he knows most he doesn’t, but greets them all the same. â€Å"How’s it goin’?† he says, in a voice that is less then enthusiastic. â€Å"Good† they reply, â€Å"How’s it goin’ with you?† The man responds â€Å"Good, thanks for asking†, again not showing much interest in the conversation he just finished, he trudges toward home. After passing the locals, the man is amused at the simple truth that he is not doing â€Å"good† and that he does not really care if those people are. He ponders the stupidity of the conversation he just had and l aughs for the first time all day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As he enters his doorway and hangs up his jacket, he slowly glances around the living room and finds his way to the olive colored sofa. As he searches the coffee table for the remote control, he begins to think of his ailing mother and her impact on his life. His search ends as he finds the clicker and turns on the television. Not paying any attention to the infomercial on the screen, he is just glad that the silence of his home is broken. As Chuck Norris is explaining why the â€Å"Ab Slide is the newest, safest and most effective method for getting in shape in the comfort of your own home.† He reflects back on the conversation that he had walking home from the hospital. He quickly laughs again and thinks what was the point of even talking to them. . The simple nonchalant nature of not caring what â€Å"is† goin’on, reflects one of the reasons why individuals in America are becoming less community oriented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Do they even care how I am? Do they even know who I am? Should I trouble them with the predicament that I am in? Would it be proper to stop and explain to these people how my mother is dying and how much pain I am in. Unsure if the man was rude to his neighbors with his dismissive attitude towards their conversation he reflected back on his life.

I’M Not Her by Janet Gurtler Isu with Summary

I’m Not Her by Janet Gurtler Written by Jordyn Leavens The novel that I am reading is â€Å"I’m Not Her† by Janet Gurtler. It is about the struggles a young girl, named Tess, goes through when she finds out that her sister, Kristina, was diagnosed with cancer. Tess has always been looking up to her older sister, because her sister was always the center of the crowd, sporty, beautiful one and Tess was always the smart, un-popular one. It was always hard on Tess, so when her sister was diagnosed with cancer, she felt as if she could finally be known.All of Kristina’s friends started befriending Tess, now that her sister wasn’t at school. Although Tess loved the popularity, she did have a lot of trouble too. Not a lot of people were asking how Tess was doing about the whole cancer situation but there was one person who was always there for her. His name was Clark. After talking days upon days with him, Tess began to want to be more then friends with hi m. But Tess also knew that she had to be there for her sister and didn’t have time to have a serious love life at that point in time.Then Tess met a boy from school named Jeremy. Jeremy has a little crush on Kristina, but is also now good friends with Tess. Tess was wondering why he would always talk about Kristina, and then he finally informed her that he always hangs out with her at the hospital when he is visiting his mother, who also has cancer. My initial response once I read the first third of the book was that I am really going to enjoy it. I thought that because it has a very strong plot which makes it very interesting for me to read.I like how the author gets right to the point, but still makes you think about what is going on in the novel. Another thing that made me think it will be a good book is that it is very realistic so I can relate to what’s happening and really understand the things going on. A few things that I really like about this novel that I rea lly like are that the author writes with a lot of meaning and it makes you feel what’s going on much better, the characters have a lot of personality and there is a lot happening.One thing I didn’t really like about the book is that you kind of get lost with all of the friends of Kristina’s talking to Tess all of the time. Another thing I dislike about the novel is that it’s lacing literary devices, which makes it a bit easy to read. Although some parts of this novel are a bit confusing or aren’t the best, it is still a really good book so far and I’m really enjoying it. I really like all of the characters in this book because they are all so different and they all have their own personality.If I had to choose one that I liked best, I would have to say Kristina is my favourite. I like her the best because she is a very strong teenager. It must be very difficult to go through everything she’s been through, and I’m sure there is still a lot more things that she will end up going through. If she didn’t have Tess as a sister, there to support and comfort her, I’m sure she would be in a very different place, because her parents aren’t being too supportive, knowing that she is having a hard time with this all.In conclusion, I think this is a really well written book and I am super excited to continue reading the rest of the book. It never gets boring and always has something going on. I feel like I can’t put the book down when I’m reading because at the end of almost every chapter, the author would leave you with a cliffhanger, which I like a lot. So far, this is a great book and I would recommend to anyone to read it.

The Similarities Of Harrison Bergeron - 871 Words

How can we tell if a character in a book is a Christ figure? Harrison Bergeron is an appropriate example. He went through and done things that Christ had done such as being persecuted for his faith, carried a beam of wood on his shoulders, and came to rescue the unqualified world. Harrison was taken away from home and went through series of rough treatment. He was terrorized for his beliefs, as with Jesus when He suffered the same way when He was crucified. In addition, the story read that he wore earphones that dulled his intelligence, weights that were strapped him to decrease his strength, wavy glasses that made him half blind, and a wooden beam on his shoulders to cut his mobility. Coincidentally, Jesus had to carry a wooden cross on†¦show more content†¦In the movie, they did dance, but they did not kiss at all. Besides the differences, Harrison in both story and film was that at the very end, he was killed for his doings. Including the fact that he stated how the Handi cap General treated and handled him. To point out, in the end, Harrison is relatively different between the story and the movie but is still the same in a way. The differences between George Bergeron and I are striking, and we deserve a thorough investigation. We are separate in three ways: intelligence quotient and physical appearance. George lives with his wife, Hazel in an era where there’s nothing, but equality. His son, Harrison was taken away by the HG men, due to his mental and physical potential. In both story and the movie, George is shown to have handicaps and earphones, signally that he is mentally more capable of having an extremely high intelligence quotient; while I, on the other hand, does have an average intelligence quotient, but not as smart or as elevated as George. â€Å"And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear.† It is not very clear that George is fairly aged in the story, but the movie says else wise, but in my head, it seemed as if George was younger than the movie version of him. In the movie, George is physically displayed as a balding, aged man with the looks of a seventy or an eighty-year-old man. George often goes into deepShow MoreRelatedSimilarities Between Harrison Bergeron And Fahrenheit 451904 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Harrison Bergeron† and Fahrenheit 451 Comparison Essay If you have ever read the stories â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† and Fahrenheit 451 I’m sure you would recognize the similarities and differences between the two. For example, one of the similarities between the books would be how the main characters from Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag and Mildred Montag are very similar to the main characters Harrison and Hazel from â€Å"Harrison Bergeron.† The other example of similarity between the two stories would be howRead MoreThe Differences and Similarities of the Book Divergent and the Short Story Harrison Bergeron1235 Words   |  5 PagesThe Differences and Similarities of the book Divergent and the short story Harrison Bergeron October 10, 2012 The book Divergent by Veronica Roth and the short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut, has similar and different views on how they want their societies to function. In each of these stories, citizens both support and go against the governments’ expectations. The government in each of these stories has ways of overpowering their citizens, which is why Tris, the main characterRead MoreDo Movies Shape The Way We See Things?1477 Words   |  6 PagesDo movies shape the way we see things? â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut has had an impact on the dystopic genre and has gone on to influence many movies, books, and other forms of media. However, for such a prolific work of literature, there only seem to be two movie adaptations of Vonnegut’s short story. The first movie adaptation was Harrison Bergeron, made in 1995, and directed by Bruce Pittman (this will be referred to as Harrison Bergeron 1995). The other movie adaptation was 2081 directe dRead MoreSimilarities and Differences Between ‚Äà ºthe Lottery‚Äà ¹ and ‚Äà ºHarrison Bergeron‚Äà ¹950 Words   |  4 PagesIn this semester, we’ve read â€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† from the textbook. They are two short stories; â€Å"The Lottery† was written by Shirley Jackson, and â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† was written by Kurt Vonnegut. This essay is to compare the similarities and differences between them. The first similarity is that both of these dystopian stories demonstrate how people force themselves in a tradition that they have been told to follow even if they have an option to seek for change, and to exploreRead More Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Essays583 Words   |  3 PagesHarrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut â€Å"The story is a satire, a parody of an ideological society divorced from common sense reality† (Townsend). As Townsend stated Kurt Vonnegut makes a satire about society in his fictional short story Harrison Bergeron, which in their society there has been attempt of conformity through the handicaps of the people, the similarity to an authoritarian government, and the technology, whereas the people will eventually overcome. The Kind if government authorityRead MoreThe Dystopian Novel, By George Orwell, And Andrew Niccol s `` Harrison Bergeron ``1222 Words   |  5 Pagesand/or technological control to control society. In Orwell s Dystopian book 1984, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr s short story Harrison Bergeron, and Andrew Niccol s film In time, there are many examples of a Dystopia is that contain a lot of comparisons between the stories. Dystopian literature whether it be novel, film, or short story focuses on similar characteristics and things. A similarity that these three dystopias have in common is the time setting. All of these stories are set to be in a futuristicRead MoreEssay on Communism and Kurt Vonneguts Harrison Bergeron977 Words   |  4 Pages The structure of communism and its main concepts heavily relate to â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†. Communisms main idea is to keep the corporations from having too much power; as well as making everything equal. Communisms structure differs from â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, but they both share a lot of characteristics. In â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† the government is given way to much power and forces everyone to become equal. Communism also differs greatly from our U.S. government and acts in many differentRead MoreThe Life Of Harrison Bergeron By Kurt Vonnegut Jr.892 Words   |  4 PagesFor this paper assignment I will be discussing the short story of Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. The short story was published in 1961. I chose this sh ort story out of all our readings because I found the story very interesting. When I was reading Harrison Bergeron, I read straight through it because the story drew me in and in the other readings I would usually take a few breaks as I was reading. In Harrison Bergeron, Vonnegut uses humor to explore and exposes several problems that can happenRead MoreAnimal Farm and Harrison Bergeron Essay1373 Words   |  6 Pagesthe important issues, such as equal rights for all races and each gender. Both the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell and the short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. are the quintessence of inequality and prove this point; all equal societies do not work. There are many similarities the book Animal Farm shares with the short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, one being that no one is truly equal in either society, the second being that there is a group with supreme power that dictates what everyRead MoreJames BaldwinS Sonnys Blues713 Words   |  3 Pagesin Kurt Vonnegut Jr.s short story Harrison Bergeron, are the title characters of each respective work. They both embody conceptions of youth within each story Sonny as the younger brother of the nameless narrator in Baldwins tale, and Bergeron as the son of the George and Hazel Bergeron. In their own way, each is antisocial and engage in practices that are disapproved of by their societies. Sonny is struggling with a heroin addiction/habit, while Harrison has plans to overthrow the government