A Defense of Abortion

Extreme conservatives would have abortion made illegal. If we outlaw abortion it would not stop women from having them

In “A Defense of Abortion” Judith Thomson does a good job of poking holes in the extreme conservative argument, she is a moderate liberal. Even though she is defending abortion she states there are still times when it is impermissible. . Her first analogy she compares a growing fetus to a famous violinist who has unknowingly been attached to a person’s circulatory system. Is the person morally responsible to remained attached to the violinist? Thomson says no, because the person was kidnapped and they didn’t volunteer for the violinist to be attached. Thomson states “it would be very nice of you if you did, a great kindness”. I agree with Thompson here no one should be forced to have a stranger plugged into them unknowingly for nine months. A growing fetus inside a woman is hardly a stranger to her it is her own flesh and blood. Secondly, a fetus is not unknowingly plugged into a woman Except for in the cases of rape no one was kidnapped or forced to have sex. When people have sex there is always a risk that the woman might get pregnant. I agree a woman has a right to her body but, I disagree with Thompson’s analogy of a violinist to a fetus.

She then speaks on the right to life, some say it is the right to not to be killed she says it is the right not to be killed unjustly. So when you unplug yourself from the violinist you are taking away his right to life. Thomson says you are not because you are not killing him unjustly. I agree, it is not your place to keeps

Extreme Conservatives would say that an abortion even to save the mother’s life would be impermissible. They have an equal right to life and an abortion would be killing the baby, and doing nothing would