Fetal Abortion Christian View Essay Example

What is moral status? When some stones at the beach receive some special treatment whilst others are thrown back into the ocean without thinking otherwise, regardless that they have survived their whole life being thrown in and out with the tide, that does not give them any moral status. There are people in that beach, but carelessly throwing one of them in the same ocean would be termed as a wicked unrespectable act, because all adults own the rights that obligate them morally to respect the other's well-being. Now let us vary our thought on a toddler who is having the first beach experience, or a seaweed that is on sight, or even a dog that is cheerily rescuing a ball. Do every object mention has a moral status and what is the societal criteria to decide? Is this moral status qualified and do the various circumstances and crashing interests impose a difference?

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Moral status is a concept that has been in existence, but it has a new constitute, which has seemed to draw attention due to contrasts queries of faith, sex, humanity, healing, and identity and has caused an aggressive battle in the western society about the moral status of a human fetus. The theories that deal with the status moral of a fetus are sentience, environment, and personhood.

In Christianity morals, the respect for human life in its origin and dignity of procreation is supported in by the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Pope explains a human fetus as an unborn child, who deserves care in all the aspects, just as the normal adult being. Christianity deploys the personhood theory. Although facing so many contradictions from various philosophers, moral agents appreciate consciously their personhood since this theory exists as a main consideration, with the existence of three main views; mental, developmental and genetic. The genetic personhood is inclusive of all the human beings irrespective of their development stage and age. The criteria here is as simple as if the parents are human then it is a human. According to Noonan (1983), from the time of conception to the time of death, humans have the right for a complete moral status.

However, the other views do not agree with the fetus being an equal being with a fully grown adult, since the mental personhood agree that an independent functioning brain of an individual qualifies the biggest moral status. Philosophers believe that it is only moral agents who have the autonomy and the right to possess a complete moral status. Shockingly, children, women, and animals were excluded from being considered as having mental incapacitation. Tooley, (1988) makes an argument that he perceives personhood as having the capacities to think, self-conscious, coherent thought, come to a decision by discussion, memory of a past self-involving, self-future envision, use of language and be a subject for permanent interests.

In the case study of fetal abnormality, Maria chooses the genetic personhood theory, convincing Jessica to go on with the pregnancy and let God's purpose and intentions carry on. She urges her to think on the responsibility of a mother that has been granted on her. Maria is seen valuing the moral status of the fetus and as carrying jus the same rights as a normal being, despite its abnormalities and predicts on Jessica that she is going to become a mother. Moreover, she deploys the environment theory, because she can imagine of continuity in the generation, despite the deformities with the fetus. As according to Rawls (1971), define a person as one with the capability to rationality regardless of whether it is not developed. His post moreover shows his need to add children and non-rational beings in his moral status.

Dr. Wilson's opinion is, however, quite the opposite as he tries to advise the couple and their aunt that terminating through abortion will be the wise decision they are supposed to consider, given that it is rightful, medically and scientifically. He views the fetus as not fully developed, but rather just segments. By this he deploys the developmental and genetic views of personhood theory, stating that the higher moral status is given to undisputed personhood like a full grown adult human and that for a person to be honored with the moral status, they must possess and independent thinking.

Jessica is so broken and torn in between the hopes she had for a good socioeconomic position and increased independence and that every life is sacred, while her husband considers following her decision, however, he does not see the pregnancy and the disabled child is a burden or a barrier to their economic status. This clearly shows that he is by all means not for the abortion, since he values all the moral status of every being. He depicts the personhood theory since he does not see how a disabled child is supposed to affect their normal lives. Jessica, however, thinks that her life will be affected but she also considers that every life of every being is sacred. Se, therefore, depicts the theory of personhood. Moreover, making a decision to kill their unborn baby is so hard for them since they have bonded with the fetus as their newborn, that is why Marco finds it hard to explain the condition to Jessica because he knows she will break out. This exposes the development theory. Feinberg (1994) considers infanticide an immoral act for utilitarian excuses, arguing that the moral status basis for adoring newborns is the social utility and common good.

Conclusion

I support the development theory since it, by all means, supports the moral status of the fetus as being a respectable one and that the bonds between the parents is so strong that nothing should be able to break it, and moreover, the life of every being starts right from the time the sperm fertilizes the ovum, this is a right reason therefore to value the moral status of every stage in one's life.

The baby's parents are the final decision maker on what is the appropriate way to deal with the fetus, without any of the harm to either's life and health. Since both Jessica and Marco feel that the child will not interfere with their economic status, and the doctor's advice to abort the fetus does not include any health harm to the mother and the fetus, then development theory will be the best to recommend for any action.

References

Noonan, J. (1983) An almost absolute value in history. "In Gorovitz S. Macklin R., Jameton A, O'Connor J., Sherwin S.(eds). Moral problems in medicine. 2" edn.

Tooley, M. (1988). In defense of abortion and infanticide. In What Is a Peron? (pp. 83-114). Humana Press.

Feinberg, J. (1994). Freedom and fulfillment: Philosophical Essays. Princeton University Press.

Rawls, J. (1971). A Theory of justice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 92.