Question

What is the main premise that Judith Jarvis Thomson allows at the start of her defense of abortion?

a. The fetus' right to life is stronger than the mother's right to control her body.

b. The fetus is a person from early on in pregnancy.

c. The fetus is not a person but only a potential person.

d. People have a right to life only if they didn't come into existence through rape or incest.

Why don't act utilitarians concern themselves with the personhood of the fetus?

a. It is the humanity of the fetus that concerns utilitarians, not personhood.

b. It is the duty of the mother to the fetus that concerns utilitarians, not the personhood of the fetus.

c. It is the effects on the mother, child, and others that concern utilitarians, not the moral status of the fetus.

d. It is the moral obligation to human beings that concern utilitarians, not the personhood of the fetus.

Kantian approaches to abortion decision making would most likely focus on which of the following?

a. That the embryo suffered in some visible way, even if the neo-cortex would not detect pain.

b. It would not focus on the autonomy of the mother and father, but only the suffering of an early embryo or even a conceptus.

c. That the fetus was, or was not, a person, just as Kant dealt routinely with concerns about children.

d. How a pre-rational "fetal person" lacking in autonomy could count as a person in the first place.

Answer 1

Q.1

Thefetus' right to life is stronger than the mother's right to control her baby.

The Basic Argument (from 48)

The fetus is a person and every person has a right to life.

Therefore, the fetus has a right to life.

The mother has a right to decide what happens in and to her body.

But the fetus's right to life outweighs the mothers right to decide what happens in and to her body.

Therefore, the fetus may not be killed; an abortion may not be performed

Q2

B .

it is the duty of the mother to the fetus that concern utilitarian,not the personhood of the fetus.

Q.3

That fetus was or was not a person ,just Kant dealt routinely with concern about children.