Among the most controversial social topics is abortion, not only in the country but across the globe. Some people argue for it, basing their views on its intended purpose, while others are against it based on several social, moral, and cultural reasons. Several states have authorized it in the United States, while others allow it for justifiable reasons, such as when the mother’s life is at risk and both cannot be saved. These competing sides put forth a convincing argument supporting or against abortion. However, abortion is unjustifiable because it denies the right to life, cannot be universally accepted, threatens the future of human beings, and encourages immorality.
First, committing an abortion equates to murder and thus denies the fetus the right to life. There is an argument that a fetus is an undeveloped human being and, therefore, cannot feel pain if aborted. Since a mother has the right to choose if they can allow or deny a fetus to grow in their womb, the proponents argue that women can decide to abort if they are uncomfortable carrying the pregnancy (Greasley, 2017). However, abortion is inexcusable because all human beings are born the same way. They develop in the womb until they are born and become respective individuals when they grow. Aborting denies people the opportunity of life and all the things the fetus would have achieved if its mother did not perform the abortion (Pruss, 2011). Consequently, abortion is inexcusable because it denies a fetus the right to life.
Also, abortion is unjustifiable because it cannot be a universally tolerable action among all cultures of the globe. According to Emmanuel Kant, an action can only be right if it is universally admissible (Tadros, 2020). This statement means that any action that all people across the globe can agree to do or not is right. Abortion does not fulfill this standard because it is a very contentious topic, which people are highly divided about and cannot agree if it is justifiable or inadmissible. Across the globe, some countries allow abortion but mostly in unusual circumstances, such as when the mother is in danger of losing her life if she continues carrying the pregnancy. However, many countries are against it, and when a citizen is found performing it, legal action is taken against them because it constitutes a crime (Marquis, 2010). Also, if a medical professional is found assisting women in performing the procedure, they are charged legally, and their practice license is revoked. Since abortion cannot be a universal law acceptable to all, it is unjustifiable to perform it. It equates to killing fellow humans, denying them their right to life.
Likewise, abortion is morally erroneous because it threatens the future survival of human beings worldwide. When the country was formed, abortion was an unacceptable practice because the nation’s originators envisioned it as a Christian and moral nation. However, different court cases challenging the prohibition of abortion created a foundation for forming organizations advocating against the ban (Greasley, 2017). As the moral authority of Christianity was reduced due to continued instances challenging the ethical perspective as established in its tenets, some people argued that abortion is a right. However, if abortion is viewed as a right for every woman, the future of human beings would be threatened. Women would be forced to undergo abortion by their partners if they were not ready to nurture the child. Also, more abortion procedures would be performed whenever a couple disagrees or in cases of broken relationships. The situation would endanger the survival of human beings in the future because the number of births would reduce significantly (Brown, 2000). Hence, abortion cannot be sufficiently justified, not unless it poses a threat to the mother’s life.
Equally, allowing abortion would encourage immorality in society. Some women terminate their pregnancies since they are unprepared to take care of the child. They get rid of it because they did not plan to get pregnant or were sexually assaulted. However, others get pregnant due to unplanned sex or fornication or were reckless during the sexual encounter because they were drunk. Allowing abortion in such cases would lead to increased immorality regarding spontaneous and unprotected sex, fornication, sexual encounters when drunk, and extramarital affairs, among other sexual immoralities. This argument is plausible because if abortion is legalized, people would not care about getting pregnant since even if it happens, they will seek an abortion when they do not want to keep the pregnancy (Pruss, 2011). Making abortion illegal helps people to contemplate their actions before engaging in them, leading to higher moral standards. Thus, it would be wrong to legalize abortion in the country.
Abortion is an exceedingly contentious topic in the country and globally. There are several sides to the topic, some supporting it, others against it, and others saying it is acceptable in some situations, such as when recommended by a medical professional. However, the side against abortion as a morally wrong undertaking is plausible because it gives more convincing reasons to justify why it is ethically unplausible. For instance, it equates to killing by denying a fetus its life and cannot be universally admissible as a law. Additionally, abortion threatens human beings’ future survival and encourages them to engage in immorality, especially among young people. Hence, upholding abortion is morally erroneous, and legalizing it would attract more create more social problems than solve them.
- Brown, M. T. (2000). The morality of abortion and the deprivation of futures. Journal of Medical Ethics, 26(2), 103–107. https://doi.org/10.1136/jme.26.2.103
- Greasley, K. (2017). Arguments about abortion. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198766780.001.0001
- Greasley, K. (2017). Selective abortion. Arguments about Abortion, 223–244. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198766780.003.0011
- Marquis, D. (2010). Why abortion is seriously wrong: Two Views. Philosophy and Medicine, 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9791-0_1
- Pruss, A. R. (2011). I was once a fetus: That is why abortion is wrong. Philosophy and Medicine, 19–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1602-5_2
- Tadros, V. (2020). Why it is wrong to kill non-responsible threats. To Do, To Die, To Reason Why, 182–202. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198831549.003.0009