1. Early Thomson Argument
I. right to life, but not a right to bodily support
A. analogy: famous violinist
B. In effect: not intentional Killing
C. responsibility – but may have tried to prevent it /
2. Intentional Killing vs. Non-Intentional Killing
A. End and means
B. All intentional killing is wrong
C. Some, but not all, non-intentional killing is right /
Intentional Killing vs. Non-Intentional Killing (cont)
D. Examples of non-intentional killing that are wrong:
Parents in woods?
Child in woods
Intentional Killing vs. Non-Intentional Killing (cont)
E. The criterion
Compare harm caused to harm avoided: fairness /
3. Most Abortions are Intentional Killing
End = not being responsible for a child
How bring that about?
Adoption or--- bring it about that there is no child /
4. Some Direct Abortions are Not Intentional Killing
A. If the end is: not-being-pregnant
ex. Actress
or: to avoid difficulties in the pregnancy /
Some Direct Abortions are Not Intentional Killing (cont)
B. Still, unjust--- the difficulty caused: much worse than the difficulty avoided
C. Difficulties in Pregnancy—but not worse than death
Compare: abandoning one’s child in the woods/
5. Direct Abortions
B. Not: correcting a pathology—those are indirect
Abortion = killing of child or intentional termination of pregnancy before child can live
C. Correcting a proximate life-threatening pathology: the abortion is a side effect /
6. Every Intentional Abortion is Wrong
Every direct abortion is objectively wrong:
A. most are intentional killing
B. some are killing as a side effect but unjust /
7. Pregnancy Due To Rape
A. Rare, but possible
B. Even here, difficulty avoided: not comparable to the difficulty caused (death)
C. Makes it worse for the woman or girl—abortion = a traumatic incident
-- hold on for just several months more/
8. Abortion Methods
A. Suction Aspiration
B. Dilation and Curretage
C. Dilation and Evacuation (forceps used)
D. Saline Injection (salt poisoning)
E. Prostaglandin, Methotrexate
F. Hysterotomy
G. Dilation and Extraction (Partial-Birth)
H. RU-486, "Morning After Pill" /
9. The Legal Issue
A. Reasoning by Blackmun in Roe v. Wade:
1. not a person constitutionally
2. human? Won’t settle that issue
B. Trimester system
C. Casey v. Planned Parenthood: "Undue Burden" /
Legal Issue (cont)
A. The state can’t really be neutral:
Must protect killed or killers
B. Justice Issue: Protection of Law
C. Similar to Dred Scott Case
D. Would be Protecting Weak against Strong /