Abortion And Personhood: Analytical Essay

Abortion is among the leading social megatrend in the world today due to the rise in the number of teens and other individuals who end up carrying abortion in case of an unwanted pregnancy. Furthermore, abortion and personhood have been proven to be having a close interrelation. Personhood has also been determined to be scientifically centered in the context of philosophy, which argues that fertilization doesn’t indicate the start of childbirth. People all over the world have always advocated for the need to burn other forms of birth, as well as abortion. Also, physicians, scientists, and other relevant government agencies argue that declaring a fertilized egg can cause far-reaching consequences or cause harm if a woman is separated from her pregnancy (Greasley, 2017). For instance, ectopic pregnancy could be life threated or cause more health complications to the victim. However, women should adequately be assessed during pregnancy to determine if childbirth can cause negative implications to the health of the victim. If so, they should be allowed to avoid giving birth to prevent any adverse effects to either the mother or child.

Personhood is said to begin after an individual is born. Abortion has been legal in America since the 1980s but raises many ontological, ethical questions determining when life truly begins. According to the pro-life standpoint, life begins the moment happens from the very start. According to the CDC, ‘in 2012, 699,202 legal induced abortions were reported to CDC from 49 reporting areas,’ which means approximately 4/10 unintentional pregnancy ended lives. Abortion not only takes the child and places them into a different environment to live but instead terminates life or human being. Some may argue the embryo/fetus is not a life yet, but George and Lee offer various perspectives showing a human embryo/fetus is not only intrinsically valuable but also a distinct human being.

Scientific revelation explains the life of a human being begins with complete fertilization. Once fertilization happens, there is a continual process occurring as 23 chromosomes of the sperm uniting with 23 of the ovum. By 8-12 weeks of gestation, the fetus is fully formed with a beating heart and whole brain. These distinct processes all become indicators the embryo/fetus is more than just matter. There are three specific points George and Lee (n.d.) point out, including how the start of human life is ‘distinct’ and different from the mother and father. The embryo is growing to enhance its survival even though it is dependent on the mother for nutrients at this point. Second, the genetic makeup of the embryo is fully human and therefore is life. Thirdly, the fetus is an entire organism actively evolving in the mother’s womb despite the environment. Now comes defining what makes the embryo a person if it is?

According to the article, the dualist version no-person argument definition is a subject, ‘with the distinct capacity to reason and make free choices’ (George & Lee, n.d.). Though this may take time for the person to begin rationalizing and reasoning certain ideals and aspects, there is still the root cause for the person, a.k.a, the ‘natural capacities’ already present. What is being killed is genuinely a person just at an earlier stage of development. Science points to the biological processes and key facts, looking at how human life begins right from the start. However, an argument made by many pro-choice activists asks the question of why is it easier to abort earlier on in development?

Many factors require consideration here, but while relationships strengthen over time, there is no real tie to the ontological status of the embryo or fetus. The burdens involved with caring for a child may be significant, but as human beings, we are entirely relational beings. The biological processes within a mother’s womb during gestation are unique and arguably points to the parent’s social responsibility and also something more significant than human life to create something so dynamic. The scientifically based evidence shows killing the embryo/fetus/baby at any stage would be making a living, and the burden of this is far higher than the difficulties/stress/cost it takes to raise a human life.

In conclusion, abortion is affecting both young and old women in society today. Unclear rules and regulations regarding the process of abortion have not been put in place hence leading to the rise of many irregular forms of abortion. The practices have led to the loss of lives in many areas due to the risks associated with the process. Therefore, inclusivity and diversity should be upheld to ensure that everyone’s opinion counts when it comes to addressing the issue of abortion in order to come up with a lasting solution. Lastly, the government, religious leaders, and other relevant parties should be at the forefront in ensuring that appropriate rules, guidelines, and regulations regarding the issue of abortion are put in place.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016). Abortion: Data and Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/
2. Greasley, K. (2017). Arguments about abortion: personhood, morality, and law. Oxford University Press.
3. Lee, P., & George, R. P. (n.d.). The Wrong of Abortion. The Wrong of Abortion, 14-15. doi:10.1075/ps.5.3.02chi.audio.2f.