Abortion and Personhood: What the Moral Dilemma Is Really About | Glenn Cohen | Big Think

TL;DR

The Roe v. Wade decision in the 1970s introduced the trimester framework for abortion rights in the United States. The debate continues to revolve around the morality of abortion and the definition of personhood.

Transcript

In the 1970s we have the Roe v. Wade decision in the United States. It was a decision relating to a woman's right to have an abortion. It introduced the trimester framework. It basically allowed first trimester abortions, made it very difficult to have third trimester abortions. And essentially this was really met very quickly thereafter with the s... Read More

Key Insights

• 🗯️ The Roe v. Wade decision introduced the trimester framework and triggered a backlash against abortion rights.
• 🧑 Defining personhood is crucial in the abortion debate, with varying perspectives on whether fetuses qualify as persons.
• 🗯️ The rights of the mother can affect the moral argument for or against abortion, even if the fetus is considered a person.
• 🤨 Stem cell research raises ethical questions related to the destruction of frozen embryos.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the trimester framework introduced by the Roe v. Wade decision?

The Roe v. Wade decision allowed first trimester abortions and made third trimester abortions difficult, creating a legal framework for abortion rights.

Q: What is the difference between a person, a human being, and something that is alive?

The distinction between a person, a human being, and something that is alive is crucial in defining the moral and legal rights of fetuses. These terms have distinct meanings, with personhood requiring a specific set of moral and/or legal rights.

Q: What are the different theories for defining personhood?

Different theories exist for defining personhood, ranging from a simple "living human being" definition to more complex views that include capacities such as the ability to think, plan for the future, feel pain, or maintain continuity of identity over time.

Q: How can someone argue that fetuses are persons but still support the legality of abortion?

The argument for supporting the legality of abortion despite considering fetuses as persons centers around the rights of the mother. It suggests that the mother's right to stop gestating the fetus overrides the fetus's rights as a person, similar to Judith Jarvis Thompson's famous violinist thought experiment.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Roe v. Wade decision in the United States allowed first trimester abortions but made third trimester abortions difficult.

• The last few decades have seen a backlash against Roe v. Wade, with efforts to criminalize abortion without overturning the decision.

• The morality of abortion is a complex question that hinges on defining fetuses as persons and determining the criteria for personhood.