There are times in life where we will have to make a moral-based decision. It is often in the emotion of the moment with fears of the unknown weighing on our minds. Everyone has a difference in their beliefs about specific behaviors or actions guided by our personal moral compass. The decisions can be difficult and can alter lives greatly, what we could call a life changing choice. What if that life choice is the choice of life or not?
One of the most controversial topics in the world today is abortion. Is it right or is it wrong? Does the women solely have the right to make that choice. Is it moral or ethical? Most will contend that it's the woman's choice, others will say that it's not right thing under any circumstance. Yet others, what about the father's choice? Jemima Kirke, a popular star from the TV series, "Girls" opens up about her abortion in college and the reasons for which she did it. Mrs Kirke had an unexpected pregnancy in college and believed that, "she made the best decision she could have at the time: “My life was just not conducive to raising a happy, healthy child”" (Miller, 2015). Her thought process at the time could be consider somewhat altruistic in the sense that she was considering the life of the child. On the contrary, it could be said that it is more egoism because she was actually thinking about herself and not the life of the child. Regardless of your stance, it is an option that some choose and others do not for their own reasons. Does the desire for a wealthy life style affect women's choice? Is maintain an image, a relationship or status a determining factor?
The research from the National Survey of Family Growth involved 3,885 single women ranging from ages 15 to 44 who were not looking to get pregnant, could help with providing some ideas. "Among women who experienced unplanned pregnancies, 31.9 percent of those in the most affluent group had abortions, versus only 8.6 percent of women in the poorest group." ( Lapp, 2015). There were several reasons why they thought this was so, one being knowledge. Another small sample conducted by the author, Amber Lapp, in the article, 'Why Poorer Women with Unintended Pregnancies Are Less Likely to Get Abortions' she says that, "Only 26 percent of the women I interviewed who had no four-year college degree could be described as pro-choice (which I defined as the view that abortion should be generally available and the woman’s choice without restriction), whereas 53 percent of the college-educated women I interviewed fit into that category." (Lapp, 2015). She mentions a caveat to the 26% pro-choice however, that states that half of them said that they would not do it themselves. The article addresses some interesting points to argue the point that poorer women are less likely to have an abortion.
Philosophy has two significant theories that we can use to examine the moral choices of abortion. One of these is the Deontology, that is based on obligation to duty and no subjectivity. The consequences do not matter but the intentions behind your actions is all that counts. In addition, there is a categorical imperative which simply means you should act as if your actions could be a universal law for all. The other theory is the Utilitarianism theory, which basically states that your actions, if good, should produce a good outcome and minimize the bad outcomes. The theory is loosing based on the pleasure of many outweighs the pleasure of one. There's sub-theories that still carry a similar notation. For example, you have 6 patients with a deadly disease and only 5 vials of a cure. One of the patients will need all 5 vials to survive but the other 5 patients need just one each. Under this theory you give one vial per patient that only needs one and the 6th dies. There are also extremes with this theory, for instance if one person is trapped beneath electronic component and in order to rescue him you much cause others temporary discomfort the theory says the masses happy is worth more than the individual. Maybe both theories have there place and have some validity, hopefully there is a happy medium to our life choices.
https://screen.yahoo.com/jemima-kirke-shares-her-story-130000146.html
Miller, K. (2015, April 14). 'GIRLS' Star Jemima Kirke On Her Abortion: 'If I Didn't Take The Anesthesia, I Would Be Able To Afford To Do This' Retrieved April 15, 2015, from https://www.yahoo.com/health/jemima-kirke-on-the-cost-of-abortion-for-the-116315782017.html
Lapp, A. (2015, March 10). Why Poor Women with Unintended Pregnancies Are Less Likely to Get Abortions | Family Studies. Retrieved April 15, 2015, from http://family-studies.org/why-poor-women-with-unintended-pregnancies-are-less-likely-to-get-abortions/
No comments:
Post a Comment