Parenthood

Having the upper brain destroyed, or completely reprogrammed and being killed=
all 3 involve destruction of a person
The dominant view has been that personhood does not admit degree.
Potential person: something that involves an active potentiality for personhood, and
it is the destruction of such potentiality that some have claimed is morally on a par
with destroying a person.
Moral status is intrinsic to an individual.
Person: any entity attributed as having the same moral status as a member of the
human species by an individual or community and bind us to treat it as an end in
its self and not just as a means for an end.
Persnhood: issue in bioethical debates about whole brain death and cortical brain
death.

Abortion
1, 250,000 legal abortion per year/ 25% of viable pregnancies are terminated
Preganancy begins at conception.
After 2nd trimester it feels pain.
Supporter and opponents of legal abortion believe their position address
fundamental human rights.
Pro choice: A women has a right to decide what is done with her body. Minimalist!
Pro life: maximalist approach.
Hippocrates: abortion is inmoral.
Catholic church prohibits all abortion, all contraception.
Common reason allowing abortion: rape, incest, maternal health, fetal defect, socioeconomic factor
By the end of the 19th century, most stated banned abortion except to save a
mothers life.
20th century: Movement to revert anti-abortion laws in cases where:

a. Serious danger to the womens health

b. Seriously defective fetus
c. Rape or Incest

Women have prima Facie obligation to refrain from inflicting pre natal harmregardless of wether they have an obligation to refrain from abortion.
Conflict of opinions:
Steinbock: 1st and 2nd trimester fetus are not sentient, non conscious, can be killed,
cannot have wants.
Rhogen: being that cannot have want but do have rights and interest.
Warren argues that a fetus is not a person bc cannot reason, cannot act beyond
instinct, incapable of complex communication, can feel pain in over 16 to 18 weeks.
Partial Birth Abortion : fetus become sentient toward the end of the 2 nd trimester.
They have interest in not being submitted to pain.
Fetal viability at 23 weeks.
Segun los principios de warren:
Once a baby is born, they are given moral and legal status but not a moral agent.
Ectopic pregnancy is an example of double effect: You remove the affected area but
result in death of fetus.
If the fetus has a condition associated to still birth or early death, it may be morally
accepted to abort.
RU-486: abortive drug, works as an anti progesterone.
Fetal- Maternal Paradox: Mother has an obligation to prevent illness and/or
disability, but no obligation to refrain from abortion.
Case of Angie Carter: 26weeks pregnant, have advance lung cancer. Refused
cesarean section prior to 28 weeks, agreed of over 28 weeks.
1st judge ruled that the fetus had a right to a chance at life.
2nd panel judge: Could have aborted under Roe vs Wade. Could not deny child
treatment since she chose not to abort. (parent cannot deny a child proper
treatment)

Decision remanded by the District of Columbia Court of Appeal: The question of

what should be done is to be decided by the pregnant women, on behalf of herself
and her fetus. Judges should not be called to decide issues of life and death.
The fetus is viable or periviable at 18 week: can feel pain, become distressed.
Performed by using drug, dilation and extraction.