Abortion

The contentious issue of abortion is generally resolved by the ordinary acceptance that human dignity is a delicate matter that needs to involve various protection and cautionary measures across the human societies in the globe. However radical the secular interpretation of more delicate society issues such as human dignity may be, it is always put in checks by the basic pillars of social life with little compromise. Such social pillars that the modern society has entrusted its protection to include medicine, religion and law tenets that have established over the years as the custodians of the delicate interpretations.

As such, interpretations of an issue as delicate as abortion have to be separately scrutinized by the social pillars to give direction on the applications or abandonment of its values. Arising from such interpretations therefore are medical, moral, legal and other splinter debates that persist for some time before an issue is completely resolved. However, for the magnitude of human dignity issues cuts deep into the actual existence of the human race, scrutiny and counter critiquing of the general opinion is faced with much resistance across the board. In this discourse, academic proof is consulted on the issues that must be considered before abortion is procured, despite the stiff debate in the public domain on its appropriateness.

Thesis statement: Studies have shown that women typically consider the legality, morality and their emotional strain before they determine to abort an unwanted child.

Background Information

Abortion can generally be understood to be the cessation of the life of an immature baby while still in the womb of its mother through deliberate human intervention. Traditionally, human dignity was considered as an important issue just as any other human life postulate in the modern world do. With the increase in secularization and cropping up of more liberal ideas that defy most of the traditional approach of human dignity, the topic on when life begins has become a debatable issue. Considerations of the ease with which women should procure abortion must be faced with the traditional interpretations of the same from a human dignity perspective, while the proponents of abortion also raise strong logical arguments in support of the same. According to Ankeny et al (2010), religion is particularly on the forefront to dispel any justification for abortion arising from secular intentions. Despite the strong opposition for abortion by religious principles, there is a level of leniency when the abortion is procured for the sake of the life of the mother who comes first in the pecking order of the saving from the danger during a medical emergency when both are in a grievous danger. There are also other considerations that come into the forefront to keep the secular world from tampering with the human life from its origin. The logic behind medical provisions for or against abortion is perhaps the most admissible from both the secular and conservative wings of the debate due to the acceptance that the mother has the capability to bring forth life hence her protection on medical grounds translates to the protection of life.

Literature Review

Ankeny et al (2010) hold the opinion that religion plays a lot of role in shaping up the moralists’ perspective on the campaign against abortion. Similar positions are held by ethical researchers who include religion as a major source of ethical ground, particularly regarding the issue of abortion (Kornegay, 2011 and Gomberg, 1991). Audi (1997) also reckons that the perspective held by religion regarding its anti-abortion campaign could be proved from a number of arguments that the author highlights with clarity and authority.

In terms of law and its interpretation of abortion within the society, Medoff (2009) postulates that despite the general discord that exists in the public debate for and against abortion, governments have been seen as a tool that fuels the confusion. This is because on one hand, the government appears to prohibit abortion in a protectionist role while also facilitates its procurement through legal facilitation. In the discourse, the author involves the Supreme Court ruling in the USA as a major development that contributed to a change of stance by the government and the American society. Berry and Roh (2008) also contribute to the wavering position held by the government in several respects regarding the abortion topic.

Emotional elements of the abortion topic are likewise represented in the discourse, with impact of emotion being felt as both a cause and a consequence of abortion in the society. Keys (2010), holds the opinion that abortion causes emotional distress that occasions untold suffering to women who procure abortion. Some positions are however raised to the effect that emotional distress is a mythical topic to women who procure an abortion.

Legality Issues on Abortion

In terms of the law as a custodian of human life and its dignity, there are general provisions in which the state abortion laws appear to considerably offer protection of human life with regard to unjustified abortion. There is a general observation that the state is the first object that the society can use to enforce protection against illegal abortions by way of facilitating restrictive laws (Medoff, 2009). According to the author, despite the recent feeling from among prolife campaigners that the state has been lenient with some of its protectionist machinery against abortion, there are deliberate intentions by the several governments to curb abortion. However, the legality abortion is a heated debate that has led to massive reactions from both ends of the debate, for instance in the USA since the legalization of abortion since 1973 by a Supreme Court ruling (Medoff, 2009, p224).

The general interpretation of the Supreme Court’s decision was to protect the American society from rigid legal provisions that fail to keep in touch with the circumstances behind the abortion. However, the precedent set by the ruling restricts abortion with the stage at which the mother has nurtured the abortion, if not on medical grounds. This implies that a trimester assessment of the pregnancy is considered for the legality test to be proved in an abortion case. The legality of the abortion is restricted in the USA as the pregnancy progresses. Due to the illegal arrangements for procurement of abortion in the country, state mechanisms are therefore heightened to reduce the ease with which the facilities and services can be accessed. One of such regulations is the policy on reduction of state funding for the abortion needs of the society to protect the society against illegal abortions (Berry and Roh, 2008).

International laws as generally guided by the principle of human rights enroll member states to follow a certain position of common interest across the member states. With regard to abortion rights for the mother as recognized by prominent international regulations, it is not clearly brought out in form of regulations since there is room for willingness of member states to accommodate their own set of sovereign resolutions on basic principles. Due to the weighty debate that abortion has faced across the states, legal provisions for international human rights agreements veer off the contentious issue altogether (Mehrgan, 2005).

It is clear therefore that the government has been vocal in setting the ground from which women can make decisions regarding the ease with which they can procure an abortion. In light of the general willing.............

AbortionNameCourseTutorDate

Outline

1. Introduction
   1. Abortion: Overview
   2. Reasons for Pro-Choice Stand

1. Emerging Issues and Support for Pro-Choice

1.      women’s rights

2. health risk
3. the safety of abortion

1. Conclusion
2. References

Introduction

Abortion has elicited much controversy as debate within socioeconomic, religious and political settings. In such countries as Canada and the US, the issue has divided the society, leading to emergence of two groupings, pro-choice and pro-life. The underlying issue has been the origin of and right to life, religious beliefs and ethics, legality and safety of the process, human right and medical complications   that a pregnant woman may be exposed to.

Emerging Issues and Support for Pro-Choice

Those who support abortion cite several reasons. The outstanding ones  comprise need  to ensure  that  the  women’s rights’ are guaranteed with regard to termination  of pregnancy,  need to save the mother’s  life in case of life  threatening complications and the safety of the  process. The support for abortion has mainly stemmed from the need to ensure that the right for all is protected as outlined in the constitution. Those against the process argue that the fetus has right to life and thus should be protected. As such, abortion is likened to murder. However, this is a vague supposition given that the mother too has a right. According to IPAS (2008), due to restrictions on abortion, there have been mane instances of unsafe abortion, what constitutes ‘violation of women’s human rights and dignity reflects a public health crisis and [perpetuates] social injustice”.  It is however, worthwhile to let the women make an informed choice based on conviction and conscience. Given that most countries have legalized the process, the issue is nolonger of much societal concern but personal. It is this argument that pro-choice put forward in defense of an abortion. On the issue of beginning of life and murder, pro-choice position is that there is no clear demarcation on the beginning of life. According to Arthur (2001), such disciplines as ‘biology, medicine, law, philosophy, and theology’, have not given a precise and valid answer to this issue. As such the pro-choice view beginning of life as not being during conception but after such a time when the baby’s vital organs have developed. The argument that abortion is akin to murder is not only academic issue that is debatable but also fallacious.

Those against abortion peg their claim on need to protect the life of the fetus at all cost, without much reference to th.............

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Abortion

Issues pertaining to life and death have often been compounded by various controversies. This is attributable to the great importance and meaning that is attached to human life. From time immemorial, human life has always been considered to be sacred and very important. Vital values related to protecting it have been ingrained in the societal value system. In this regard, protecting and nurturing human life is generally considered a very a noble task that all humans need to uphold accordingly. Abortion has adverse impacts on the holistic wellbeing of humanity. In essence, this act deprives humans of the opportunity to live and benefit optimally from the goods that nature provides. It is an act that has been perceived differently by varied communities as well as culture. Currently, it has spurred various debates within the public. These basically revolve around the decisions related to opposing and supporting it. It is against this background that this paper provides an in depth analysis of the concept of abortion. To enhance coherence, it begins by detailing an overview of the history of abortion. Then, it proceeds to underscoring the changing attitudes and perceptions towards abortion. Finally, it provides the opposing views towards this concept as well as the ethical, religious and social underpinning.

As indicated earlier, abortion is an issue that has been at the center stage of public ethics for a significant period of time now. Historical evidence indicates that the concept dates back to the times of the early American colonies. The then populations were strongly opposed to abortion and did not support it under any circumstances. In fact, the public considered it a misdemeanor if an individual procured an abortion. A significant percentage of the populations did not only consider the life in the womb to be sacred but they also perceived it to have similar legal rights like the rest of the individuals. The formal efforts to legalize abortion began in 1962, although physicians had previously suggested the issue since 1933. From a religious point of view, Rubin indicates that different religions had varied views regarding the issue of abortion (58). The religions in the ancient Rome and Greece reportedly had the strongest views about abortion. Historical document indicate that the Assyrians did not approve of the process of abortion and forbade their women against procuring it. In contrast, the Jewish religion of Talmud taught that the fetus in the womb could not be likened to an individual. For this reason, it was not entitled to equal rights and therefore abortion was acceptable.

The church of Vienne on the other hand considered abortion to be homicide only after the fetus had been formed. Usually, this occurred during the end of a woman’s first trimester. In the seventeenth century, scientific studies affirmed that during this point in time, the fetus already had al the features of a human being. It is at this point that the Catholic Church forbade abortion and likened it to killing. Further developments in the 1800s confirmed that human life began at the point of fertilization. This culminated in the British government reviewing its position on the stage at which abortion was acceptable. It dropped the relative punishment to the point of fertilization. This marked the beginning of the American states passing their individual laws against abortion. By 1860, Ginsburg cites that close to 85% of the states had passed laws prohibiting abortion (77).

In the early 1900s, there were massive changes in the public perception against abortion. Abortion was now banned only during pregnancy unless it was aimed at saving the life of the woman. The changes in perceptions and views can be attributed to the social conversations as well as the drastic economic changes that were responsible for industrializing the nation. The rising population was having far reaching implications on the quality of life of the entire society. For this reason, it was deemed important to curb population growth in order to enhance the quality of life of the affected populations. Abortion played an important role in helping the society to address the issue of population growth. Abortion was finally legalized in 1973 when the court held the doctor and the woman responsible for making decisions regarding abortion. These two were accorded the right to make abortion elated decisions at any point during pregnancy, in line with the provisions of the right to privacy.

Legalization of abortion triggered various responses from the society. While some approved of the process and considered it fundamental for addressing the economic and social problems that were emanating from incidences of population growth, others considered it wrong because of its tendency to deprive the fetus of life. The religious and philosophical persons were particularly opposed to the practice because they considered it to be morally and spiritually wrong. Yet there is also groups of the population that remained neutral about the issue and do not openly support any sides. There re various reasons that made individuals to be opposed to the practice. These range from the denial of an individual of a right to live to the ethical and moral issues that are attached to the practice.

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Abortion

Issues pertaining to life and death have often been compounded by various controversies. This is attributable to the great importance and meaning that is attached to human life. From time immemorial, human life has always been considered to be sacred and very important. Vital values related to protecting it have been ingrained in the societal value system. In this regard, protecting and nurturing human life is generally considered a very a noble task that all humans need to uphold accordingly. Abortion has adverse impacts on the holistic wellbeing of humanity. In essence, this act deprives humans of the opportunity to live and benefit optimally from the goods that nature provides. It is an act that has been perceived differently by varied communities as well as culture. Currently, it has spurred various debates within the public. These basically revolve around the decisions related to opposing and supporting it. It is against this background that this paper provides an in depth analysis of the concept of abortion. To enhance coherence, it begins by detailing an overview of the history of abortion. Then, it proceeds to underscoring the changing attitudes and perceptions towards abortion. Finally, it provides the opposing views towards this concept as well as the ethical, religious and social underpinning.

As indicated earlier, abortion is an issue that has been at the center stage of public ethics for a significant period of time now. Historical evidence indicates that the concept dates back to the times of the early American colonies. The then populations were strongly opposed to abortion and did not support it under any circumstances. In fact, the public considered it a misdemeanor if an individual procured an abortion. A significant percentage of the populations did not only consider the life in the womb to be sacred but they also perceived it to have similar legal rights like the rest of the individuals. The formal efforts to legalize abortion began in 1962, although physicians had previously suggested the issue since 1933. From a religious point of view, Rubin indicates that different religions had varied views regarding the issue of abortion (58). The religions in the ancient Rome and Greece reportedly had the strongest views about abortion. Historical document indicate that the Assyrians did not approve of the process of abortion and forbade their women against procuring it. In contrast, the Jewish religion of Talmud taught that the fetus in the womb could not be likened to an individual. For this reason, it was not entitled to equal rights and therefore abortion was acceptable.

The church of Vienne on the other hand considered abortion to be homicide only after the fetus had been formed. Usually, this occurred during the end of a woman’s first trimester. In the seventeenth century, scientific studies affirmed that during this point in time, the fetus already had al the features of a human being. It is at this point that the Catholic Church forbade abortion and likened it to killing. Further developments in the 1800s confirmed that human life began at the point of fertilization. This culminated in the British government reviewing its position on the stage at which abortion was acceptable. It dropped the relative punishment to the point of fertilization. This marked the beginning of the American states passing their individual laws against abortion. By 1860, Ginsburg cites that close to 85% of the states had passed laws prohibiting abortion (77).

In the early 1900s, there were massive changes in the public perception against abortion. Abortion was now banned only during pregnancy unless it was aimed at saving the life of the woman. The changes in perceptions and views can be attributed to the social conversations as well as the drastic economic changes that were responsible for industrializing the nation. The rising population was having far reaching implications on the quality of life of the entire society. For this reason, it was deemed important to curb population growth in order to enhance the quality of life of the affected populations. Abortion played an important role in helping the society to address the issue of population growth. Abortion was finally legalized in 1973 when the court held the doctor and the woman responsible for making decisions regarding abortion. These two were accorded the right to make abortion elated decisions at any point during pregnancy, in line with the provisions of the right to privacy.

Legalization of abortion triggered various responses from the society. While some approved of the process and considered it fundamental for addressing the economic and social problems that were emanating from incidences of population growth, others considered it wrong because of its tendency to deprive the fetus of life. The religious and philosophical persons were particularly opposed to the practice because they considered it to be morally and spiritually wrong. Yet there is also groups of the population that remained neutral about the issue and do not openly support any sides. There re various reasons that made individuals to be opposed to the practice. These range from the denial of an individual of a right to live to the ethical and moral issues that are attached to the practice.