ETHICISTS ARGUE IN FAVOR OF ‘AFTER-BIRTH ABORTIONS‘ AS NEWBORNS ’ARE NOT PERSONS’1. Are these two serious?
By Liz Klimas, The Blaze
Two ethicists working with Australian universities argue in the latest online edition of the Journal of Medical Ethics that if abortion of a fetus is allowable, so to [sic] should be the termination of a newborn.
Alberto Giubilini with Monash University in Melbourne and Francesca Minerva at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne write that in “circumstances occur[ing] after birth such that they would have justified abortion, what we call after-birth abortion should be permissible.”
The two are quick to note that they prefer the term “after-birth abortion“ as opposed to ”infanticide.” Why? Because it “[emphasizes] that the moral status of the individual killed is comparable with that of a fetus (on which ‘abortions’ in the traditional sense are performed) rather than to that of a child.” The authors also do not agree with the term euthanasia for this practice as the best interest of the person who would be killed is not necessarily the primary reason his or her life is being terminated. In other words, it may be in the parents’ best interest to terminate the life, not the newborns.
The circumstances, the authors state, where after-birth abortion should be considered acceptable include instances where the newborn would be putting the well-being of the family at risk, even if it had the potential for an “acceptable” life. The authors cite Downs Syndrome as an example, stating that while the quality of life of individuals with Downs is often reported as happy, “such children might be an unbearable burden on the family and on society as a whole, when the state economically provides for their care.” [link]
2. Do either of them understand the word "ethics"? Do the words "right" and "wrong" enter into their understanding?
3. "[C]ircumstances occur[ing] after birth such that they would have justified abortion, what we call after-birth abortion should be permissible.” Does that allow - ethically - me to prepare my list of those who should be aborted "after birth"? "The circumstances, the authors state, where after-birth abortion should be considered acceptable include instances where the newborn would be putting the well-being of the family at risk ..." I consider the authors' position to be one that puts the "family of humankind" at risk. Is that justification to kill off both of them?
I don't think they want to go there. I really don't. Mine will be a lengthy list. They don't want to go there.
3 comments:
But Jerry, they're being perfectly consistent with our Glorious Fuhrer and Sometime President, King Putt of Auschwitz-on-Chicago River. He sponsored that much ignored by His BM bill in the Illinois Senate which allows infanticide. (Oh, sorry--After-birth abortions.) Ethics, as in right vs. wrong, we don't need no stinkin' Ethics just like our Glorious Leader, the little tin god, don't need no First Amendment to bring them damn RealGod believin'Catholics/Protestants/Jews, etc. into line.
The problem is that they are right. IF someone feels that there is no moral problem in performing an abortion, say, 10 minutes before birth, then killing a baby 10 minutes after birth should be ok too because not much has changed about the baby/fetus/blob/byproducts to effect its moral status except its location. Really there are only two diving lines, conception and birth. If you say abortion is ok up until birth then you need to explain why it is ok 1 day before but not ok after. I don't think abortionist can.
I agree, Manny. And, as you can see from my post, I'm willing to take their "ethical" argument to the next level, and abort - post-partem - those who I deem harmful - potentially - to our way of life.
Where does it stop?
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