Abortion: Life? Choice? Right?

Secular Arguments Against Abortion

Richard Deem
Evidence for God
(www.evidence.info)
 Secular
Secular Arguments
Arguments Against
Against
Abortion?
Abortion?
• Rich Deem – the agnostic
• Libertarians for Life (L4L.org) – atheists
• A Secular Case Against Abortion by
Jennifer Roth – secular humanist
(http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/
debates/secularist/abortion/roth1.html)
• Feminists for Life (feministsforlife.org)
– non-sectarian
 Why
Why Should
Should We
We Try
Try to
to
Persuade?
Persuade?
1999
1999 Gallup
Gallup Poll
Poll onon Abortion
Abortion
•• Opinion Undecided
Opinion nearly
nearly split
split (10%)
•• Only Prolife Prochoice
~50% feel
Only ~50% feel (48%)
strongly (42%)
strongly either
either way
way
•• Nearly
Nearly half
half have
have nono
strong
strong opinion
opinion (i.e.,
(i.e., Strongly
can
can be
be persuaded)
persuaded) Prochoice
No strong (26%)
opinion
(45%) Strongly Prolife
(29%)
 Abortion
Abortion Arguments
Arguments
• Scientific considerations
•• Human
Human Embryology
Embryology 101
101
•• When
When does
does human
human life
life begin?
begin?
• Legal Issues
•• Is
Is the
the unborn
unborn aa person?
person?
•• Are
Are the
the laws
laws logically
logically consistent?
consistent?
• Moral Issues
•• When
When does
does aa person
person begin
begin to
to exist?
exist?
 Scientific Arguments
• When does human life begin?
•Medical textbooks
•Statements of doctors
• When does abortion occur?
• “Products of conception” – just a
“blob of tissue”
 Medical
Medical Embryology
Embryology
Textbooks
Textbooks
The Developing Human: Clinically
Oriented Embryology
"Zygote: this cell results from the
union of an oocyte and a sperm. A
zygote is the beginning of a new
human being (i.e., an embryo).
Human development begins at
fertilization… This highly specialized,
totipotent cell marks the beginning of
each of us as a unique individual.”
 Medical
Medical Embryology
Embryology
Textbooks
Textbooks
Essentials of Human Embryology
“In this text, we begin our description
of the developing human with the
formation and differentiation of the
male and female sex cells or gametes,
which will unite at fertilization to initiate
the embryonic development of a new
individual.”
 Medical
Medical Embryology
Embryology
Textbooks
Textbooks
Human Embryology & Teratology
“Fertilization is an important landmark
because, under ordinary
circumstances, a new, genetically
distinct human organism is thereby
formed…”
What
What Do
Do Medical
Medical Doctors
Doctors Say?
Say?
Dr. Alfred Bongioanni (University of
Pennsylvania):
“I
“I have
have learned
learned from
from my
my earliest
earliest medical
medical
education
education that
that human
human life
life begins
begins at
at the
the time
time
of
of conception.”
conception.”
Dr. Jerome LeJeune (University of
Descartes):
“after
“after fertilization
fertilization has
has taken
taken place
place aa new
new
human
human being
being has
has come
come into
into being.”
being.”
What
What Do
Do Medical
Medical Doctors
Doctors Say?
Say?
Dr. Hymie Gordon (Mayo Clinic):
“By
“By all
all criteria
criteria of
of modern
modern molecular
molecular biology,
biology,
life
life is
is present
present from
from the
the moment
moment of
of
conception.”
conception.”
Dr. Micheline Matthews-Roth (Harvard
University Medical School):
“It
“It is
is scientifically
scientifically correct
correct to
to say
say that
that an
an
individual
individual human
human lifelife begins
begins at
at conception”
conception”
 Human
Human Embryology
Embryology 101
101
• Fetal
Fetal heart
heart begins
begins
to
to form
form 18
18 days
days after
after
conception
conception
• Measurable
Measurable heart
heart beat
beat
21-24
21-24 days
days after
after
conception
conception
• Fetal
Fetal brain
brain begins
begins toto
form
form on
on day
day 23
23
• Brain
Brain waves
waves produced
produced
by
by 66 weeks
weeks
 Abortion
Abortion Statistics
Statistics by
by Weeks
Weeks
of
of Gestation
Gestation
Weeks of Gestation Abortions (% of total)
<6 22
7 18
8 18
>8 42
Therefore, 78% of abortions occur after fetal
brain waves have begun
Elam-Evans, L.D., et al. 2002. Abortion Surveillance -- United
States, 1999. Surveillance Summaries 51(SS09) 1-28. (Center for
Disease Control and Prevention)
Fetus
Fetus –– Just
Just aa “Blob
“Blob of
of Tissue”?
Tissue”?
“I
“I opened
opened the the sock
sock up
up and
and II put
put itit on
on the
the
towel
towel and and there
there were
were parts
parts in in there
there of of aa
person.
person. I’d I’d taken
taken anatomy;
anatomy; II was was aa medical
medical
student.
student. II knew knew whatwhat II was
was looking
looking at. at. There
There
was
was aa little
little scapula
scapula andand there
there was
was an an arm,
arm,
and
and II saw
saw somesome ribs ribs and
and aa chest,
chest, and
and II saw
saw aa
little
little tiny
tiny head,
head, and and II saw
saw aa piece
piece of of aa leg,
leg,
and
and II saw
saw aa tiny tiny hand.
hand. ...
... II checked
checked it it out
out and
and
there
there were
were two two arms
arms and
and two two legs
legs andand oneone
head,
head, etc.,
etc., andand II turned
turned andand said,
said, II guess
guess youyou
got
got itit all
all ...
... It
It was
was pretty
pretty awful
awful that
that first
first
time...
time... it it was
was likelike somebody
somebody put put aa hot
hot poker
poker
into
into me.”
me.” (Dr. (Dr. David
David Brewer,
Brewer, in in training)
training)
Fetus
Fetus –– Just
Just aa “Blob
“Blob of
of Tissue”?
Tissue”?
“I
“I watched
watched as as the
the contents
contents of of the
the woman’s
woman’s
womb
womb came came through
through aa suctioning
suctioning device
device
and
and into
into aa stainless-steel
stainless-steel pail
pail sitting
sitting atat his
his
feet.
feet. II stepped
stepped backback and
and wiped
wiped the
the
perspiration
perspiration from from my
my brow.
brow. “This
“This is
is kind
kind of
of
gruesome,”
gruesome,” II said….
said…. The
The doctor
doctor said,
said, “At
“At
this
this point
point inin aa pregnancy,
pregnancy, the the products
products of of
conception
conception aren’t
aren’t much.”
much.” II stepped
stepped forward
forward
and
and peered
peered into
into the
the pail.
pail. This
This time
time II broke
broke
out
out in
in aa cold
cold sweat.
sweat. II backed
backed upup and
and leaned
leaned
against
against thethe wall,
wall, my
my eyes
eyes closed.
closed. Dear
Dear
Jesus!
Jesus! II thought.
thought. II just
just saw
saw someone
someone
murdered!
murdered! And And II just
just stood
stood and
and watched!
watched!
(Nurse
(Nurse Don Don Haines,
Haines, inin training)
training)
Fetus
Fetus –– Just
Just aa “Blob
“Blob of
of Tissue”?
Tissue”?
“I
“I had
had aa quick
quick sonogram
sonogram andand then
then received
received aa
shot
shot of
of methrotrexate.
methrotrexate. AfterAfter the
the shot,
shot, II came
came
home...
home... II went
went toto bed
bed that
that evening
evening around
around 99
p.m…
p.m… II continued
continued contracting
contracting andand bleeding
bleeding
most
most ofof the
the night.
night. Around
Around three
three inin the
the morning,
morning,
II went
went toto the
the bathroom.
bathroom. When
When II stood
stood up,
up, II
noticed
noticed that
that thethe pain
pain and
and the
the pressure
pressure was was not
not
from
from clots,
clots, butbut from
from passing
passing the
the placenta.
placenta. When
When
II looked
looked in in the
the commode,
commode, II sawsaw laying
laying inin the
the
center
center of of the
the placenta
placenta my
my baby.
baby. II saw
saw the
the baby's
baby's
perfectly
perfectly formed
formed hands,
hands, the
the little
little fingers.
fingers. II
remember
remember the the scream
scream that
that came
came from
from mymy
mouth...
mouth... [from
[from aa 77 week
week abortion]
abortion] (Char,
(Char, “I“I used
used
to
to be
be Pro-choice...But…”)
Pro-choice...But…”)
 Scientific
Scientific Conclusions
Conclusions
• Human life begins at conception
• Human development proceeds rapidly
(all organs and systems are in place by
week 8)
• Abortion stops a beating heart
• Most abortions occur after the fetus
exhibits measurable brain waves
 Legal
Legal Arguments
Arguments
• Right to life
• Supreme Court decision
• Legal definition of murder
• Definition of murder – exceptions
• Personhood issues
 Right
Right to
to Life
Life
The
The Declaration
Declaration of
of Independence
Independence ofof the
the
United
United States guarantees “certain
unalienable
unalienable Rights,
Rights, that
that among
among those
those are
are
Life,, Liberty
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”
 Supreme
Supreme Court
Court Decision
Decision
• The Supreme Court held that the “right
to privacy,” assured the freedom of a
person to abort unless the state had a
“compelling interest” in preventing the
abortion.
• The Court then held that, though the
state had an interest in protecting fetal
life, this interest did not become
“compelling” until “fetal viability”
occurred in the third trimester of
pregnancy.
 Legal
Legal Definition
Definition of
of Murder
Murder
CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE
SECTION 187-199

187.
a. Murder is the unlawful killing of a
human being, or a fetus, with malice
aforethought.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cacodes/pen/187-199.html
 Definition
Definition of
of Murder
Murder ––
Exceptions
Exceptions
CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE 187.
b. This section shall not apply to any
person who commits an act that
results in the death of a fetus if any
of the following apply:
3.
3. The
The act
act was
was solicited,
solicited, aided,
aided, abetted,
abetted,
or
or consented
consented to
to by
by the
the mother
mother of
of the
the
fetus.
fetus.
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cacodes/pen/187-199.html
 Legal
Legal Personhood
Personhood Issues
Issues
• The fetus is granted personhood if
wanted by the mother
• The fetus can become a non-person at
the discretion of the mother
• However, a mother may not choose to
kill her born child
• How can the personhood of a human
being be decided by another person?
 Moral
Moral Arguments
Arguments
• “Benefit” to women
• “Benefit to child (every child
“wanted”)
• “Right” to control their own body
• Population control
• Fetus is not a person – personality
argument
 ““Benefit”
Benefit” to
to Women
Women
• Prevention of deaths from “coat
hanger” or “back alley” abortions
• Cases of rape or incest, fetal
abnormalities or threats to mother’s life
or health
• Abortion alleviates economic and
social problems
Abortion
Abortion Must
Must Remain
Remain Legal
Legal to
to
Prevent
Prevent Abortion
Abortion Deaths
Deaths
Year Abortion-related Deaths
1940 1,470
1950 263
1965 201
“We spoke of 5,000-10,000 deaths a year.... I
confess that I knew the figures were totally false.”
Dr. Bernard Nathanson, (co-founder NARAL),
testimony before the Supreme Court in 1972
Abortion
Abortion Must
Must Remain
Remain Legal
Legal to
to
Prevent
Prevent Abortion
Abortion Deaths
Deaths
Deaths From Abortion
Year Legal Abortions Legal Illegal
1972 ? 24 41
1973 615,831 25 21
1974 763,476 26 7
Tietze, C. 1983. Induced Abortion: A World
View. The Population Council, New York.
 The
The “Hard”
“Hard” Cases
Cases
Abortion must be available for:
• cases of rape or incest
•• Represent
Represent only
only 1%
1% of
of all
all cases
cases
• cases of fetal abnormalities
•• Represent
Represent only
only 1%
1% of
of all
all cases
cases
• mother’s health is at risk
•• Represents
Represents only
only 3%
3% of
of all
all cases
cases

The Alan Guttmacher Institute

(http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html)
 Abortion
Abortion Alleviates
Alleviates Economic
Economic
and
and Social
Social Problems
Problems
•• Pregnancy
Pregnancy subjugates
subjugates women,
women, interferes
interferes
with
with career
career and
and educational
educational choices
choices
•• For
For most
most women,
women, pregnancy
pregnancy doesdoes not
not
interfere
interfere with
with the
the ability
ability to
to work
work oror attend
attend
school,
school, except
except after
after birth
birth
•• Laws
Laws prevent
prevent employers
employers fromfrom firing
firing or
or
discriminating
discriminating against
against pregnant
pregnant women
women
•• Women
Women are are not
not forced
forced toto keep
keep their
their children.
children.
Adoption
Adoption is is always
always anan option
option
•• The
The existence
existence of of social
social problems
problems is is not
not
justification
justification for
for another
another evil
evil
Every
Every Child
Child Should
Should Be
Be Wanted
Wanted
• Being wanted is not a condition of the
child, but of the adult
• Is it fair to kill a child because of the
attitude of an adult?
• Wanted children are less likely to suffer
abuse (next slide)
 Every
Every Child
Child Should
Should Be
Be Wanted
Wanted
(Wanted
(Wanted Children
Children Are
Are Less
Less Likely
Likely to
to Be
Be Abused)
Abused)

Reported Child
Year Abuse Cases
1973 167,000
1980 785,100
1987 2,025,200
2000 1,726,000
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, National
Center of Child Abuse & Neglect; National Analysis of
Official Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting
 Women
Women Have
Have aa “Right”
“Right” to
to
Control
Control Their
Their Own
Own Body
Body
• Is the fetus part their body?
•• Separate
Separate circulatory
circulatory system
system
•• Unique
Unique DNA
DNA
• Do we have rights to do anything
with our bodies?
•• Assault
Assault
•• Illegal
Illegal drugs
drugs
•• Use
Use of
of drugs/alcohol
drugs/alcohol during
during pregnancy
pregnancy
Population
Population Control
Control –– Rebuttal
Rebuttal
• Those countries that outlaw abortion
have an overcrowding problem
•• This
This does
does notnot indicated
indicated cause
cause andand
effect
effect –– these
these countries
countries also
also have
have little
little
or
or no
no access
access toto birth-control,
birth-control, poor
poor
education,
education, etc.
etc.
•• War,
War, disease
disease and
and famine
famine also
also curb
curb
population
population growth.
growth. Should
Should we
we condone
condone
them?
them?
 Fetus
Fetus Is
Is Not
Not aa Person
Person
“Persons . . . are members of a social
community that shapes and values them,
and personhood must be defined in
terms of interactions and relationships
with others.”

Susan Sherwin. 1999. Ethical Issues:

Perspectives for Canadians. Ed. Soifer,
Eldon. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview
Press, p. 267
 Fetus
Fetus Is
Is Not
Not aa Person
Person ––
Rebuttal
Rebuttal
• Personality definition problems
•• Does
Does aa human
human non-person
non-person exist?
exist?
•• What
What traits
traits define
define personhood?
personhood?
•• Who
Who makes
makes thethe definition?
definition?
•• Society
Society has
has excluded
excluded certain
certain humans
humans
from
from personhood
personhood before
before (e.g.,
(e.g., African
African
slaves,
slaves, Chinese,
Chinese, etc.)
etc.) Should
Should we
we make
make aa
new
new list
list of
of human
human non-persons?
non-persons?
 Fetus
Fetus Is
Is Not
Not aa Person
Person ––
Rebuttal
Rebuttal
• The lack of certain personality traits
would remove from personhood:
•• Those
Those who
who are
are in
in aa coma
coma
•• Elderly
Elderly with
with degenerative
degenerative disorders
disorders
(Alzheimer's,
(Alzheimer's, etc.)
etc.)
•• Mentally
Mentally deficient
deficient
•• Genetic
Genetic
•• Neurological
Neurological disease
disease
•• Mental
Mental illness
illness
•• Is
Is is
is okay
okay to
to consider
consider these
these human
human
beings
beings as
as non-persons?
non-persons?
 Definition
Definition of
of Personhood
Personhood
• One who is consciously performing
personal acts – eliminates those who
are sleeping
• One with a present capacity to perform
personal acts – eliminates those who
are in a coma
 Definition
Definition of
of Personhood
Personhood
• One who has a history of performing
personal acts – eliminates one who was
in a coma from birth, but wakes up
• One with a future capacity for
performing personal acts – makes
those who are dying as non-persons
 Implications
Implications of
of Functionally-
Functionally-
Defined
Defined Personhood
Personhood
• Newborns lack the ability to perform
personal functions – in fact, newborn
humans are less capable physically
and mentally than virtually all other
mammals
• Therefore, on the basis of functionally-
defined personhood, newborns fail the
test could be killed on the basis of
“non-personhood”
When
When Does
Does aa Human
Human Become
Become
aa Person?
Person?
• At conception
• After 20 weeks’ gestation
• After 24 weeks (fetal viability
outside the womb)
• At birth
• At the point that the individual
expresses self-consciousness and
an interest in their continued
existence
At
At Conception,
Conception, ItIt Is
Is Only
Only aa
Single
Single Cell
Cell
Claim:
• Fertilized eggs are single cells, like
blood cells or other parts of the
body
Rebuttal:
• The single cell is unique from both
the father’s and mother’s cells and
is the beginning of every new
human being
Claim:
Claim: Prior
Prior to
to 20
20 Weeks,
Weeks, aa
Fetus
Fetus Is
Is Not
Not aa Person
Person
• A person possess an individual
human personality
• Prior to 20 weeks’ gestation, the
cerebral cortex has not yet
developed to the point that the fetus
can possess an individual human
personality

• The fetus prior to 20 weeks’
gestation is not a person.
Prior
Prior to
to 20
20 Weeks,
Weeks, aa Fetus
Fetus Is
Is
Not
Not aa Person
Person –– Rebuttal
Rebuttal
Person = Personality Problem
•• All
All persons
persons were
were once
once fetuses.
fetuses. When
When
did
did we
we go
go from
from non-person
non-person status
status to
to
person
person status?
status?
•• To
To say
say that
that personality
personality defines
defines
personhood
personhood is is to
to deny
deny the
the role
role of
of the
the
body
body
•• Mind/Body
Mind/Body dualism?
dualism?
Prior
Prior to
to 20
20 Weeks,
Weeks, aa Fetus
Fetus Is
Is
Not
Not aa Person
Person –– Rebuttal
Rebuttal
Brain Development Problem
The
The development
development of of the
the brain
brain isis
programmed
programmed byby the
the DNA
DNA –– it
it is
is an
an
inherent
inherent function
function of
of the
the fertilized
fertilized ovum
ovum
and
and continues
continues even
even after
after birth
birth
Prior
Prior to
to 24
24 Weeks,
Weeks, aa Fetus
Fetus Is
Is
Not
Not Viable
Viable –– Rebuttal
Rebuttal
• Depends upon current technology
•• Age
Age of
of viability
viability used
used to
to be
be 28
28 weeks
weeks
•• Changed
Changed toto 24
24 weeks
weeks in
in 1990
1990
• Artificial womb (Nature, 2002)
•• Developed
Developed for
for premature
premature infants
infants
•• Uses
Uses oxygenated
oxygenated perfluorinated
perfluorinated
hydrocarbons
hydrocarbons
•• Could
Could cut
cut the
the point
point of
of fetal
fetal viability
viability in
in
half?
half?
Personhood
Personhood Starts
Starts at
at the
the Point
Point
of
of Self-consciousness
Self-consciousness
•• ‘In
‘In Defense
Defense ofof Abortion
Abortion and and Infanticide,’
Infanticide,’
Michael
Michael Tooley
Tooley claims
claims that
that individuals
individuals have
have
aa right
right to
to life
life only
only atat the
the point
point of
of self-
self-
consciousness
consciousness and and anan interest
interest inin their
their own
own
continued
continued existence
existence
•• Tooley
Tooley concludes,
concludes, therefore,
therefore, that
that infanticide
infanticide
is
is morally
morally acceptable
acceptable
•• If
If the
the individual
individual will,
will, in
in the
the future
future develop
develop
such
such interest,
interest, isis it
it permissible
permissible to to kill
kill the
the
individual
individual before
before such
such interests
interests develop?
develop?
Can
Can fetuses
fetuses be be excluded
excluded fromfrom allowing
allowing such
such
development
development to to occur?
occur?
 Morality
Morality and
and Abortion
Abortion
• Often quoted, “safe, legal, and rare” –
Why rare?
• Abortion rate “too high”
•• ~30%
~30% of
of pregnancies
pregnancies in
in the
the U.S.
U.S.
•• ~70%
~70% of
of pregnancies
pregnancies in
in Russia
Russia
• If abortion is good, wouldn’t higher be
better?
 Do
Do You
You Personally
Personally Believe
Believe
That
That Abortion
Abortion Is
Is Wrong?
Wrong?
Even
Even though
though 51%
51% claimed
claimed
to
to be
be “pro-choice”
“pro-choice” only
only Don’t Know
36%
36% believe
believe that
that abortion
abortion (8%)
was
was not
not morally
morally wrong
wrong No Yes
(36%) (56%)

Newsweek
Newsweek Poll
Poll conducted
conducted by
by Princeton
Princeton
Survey
Survey Research
Research Associates.
Associates. October
October 29-
29-
30,
30, 1998
1998
 II Am
Am Personally
Personally Against
Against
Abortion,
Abortion, But…
But…
• Why are you personally against
abortion?
• If you believe it is immoral, why do you
think it should be legally allowed?
•• II am
am personally
personally against
against murder,
murder, but…
but…
•• II am
am personally
personally against
against robbery,
robbery, but…
but…
 Abortion
Abortion Vs.
Vs. Slavery
Slavery
Abortion (2003) Slavery (1850’s)*
“They’re not “They’re not persons,
persons” but property”

It’s a personal choice It’s a personal choice

It’s a religious issue It’s a religious issue

*Stephen Douglas used all of these arguments in

favor of retaining slavery
Abortion: Life? Choice? Right?

Available Online at
Evidence for God
(www.evidence.info)