Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions (Contours of Christian Philosophy)

by Arthur F. Holmes

First, what about the claim that a fetus has the right to life? The Old Testament plainly values fetal life as a distinctive work of God rather than treating is as another “piece of tissue” (Eccles 11:5; Ps 139:13-16; Jer 1:5). Biologically, too, any human fetus is of course human life; and, even though it is not yet an actual person in the sense of a self-conscious and reflective being relating meaningfully to others, it is a potential person likely to develop all the powers adults have. As such its life is to be received and protected as a gift from God. Abortion on demand, for personal convenience or as a regular means of birth control, fails to recognize this. But that is not to say that an early fetus as potential person shares full human rights equally with actual persons. The justice issue here is not the same as with murder or genocide. So while a prima facie rule against abortion is morally requisite, possible exceptions may justly be considered when other moral obligations conflict with this one. If the fetal life threatens the mother’s right to life, most people would allow an abortion. I suggest this is because actual personhood has greater value than potential personhood: the mother’s right to life ranks higher. But what about the mother’s right to privacy, the freedom and privacy of her own body? Does that right override the sanctity of fetal life? If the right to privacy has been violated against the mother’s will, as in the case of rape victims, then we mig...