Biology:After-birth abortion

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Short description: Controversial comparison of abortion and euthanasia


"After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?" is a controversial[1] article published by Francesca Minerva and Alberto Giubilini in Journal of Medical Ethics in 2013 (available online from 2012) arguing to call child euthanasia "after-birth abortion" and highlighting similarities between abortion and euthanasia.[2] The article attracted media attention[3][4] and several scholarly critiques.[5][6][7][8][9] According to Michael Tooley, "Very few philosophical publications, however, have evoked either more widespread attention, or emotionally more heated reactions, than this article has."[10][11]

The argument of the article is as follows:

  1. Abortion is justified because of the moral status of foetuses (their shared status of 'potential persons' is not morally relevant)
  2. Abortion is justified when the foetus has severe abnormalities or would be an intolerable burden to its mother/family (at least when adoption is not a viable option due to not being in the best interests of actual persons)
  3. Newborns have the same moral status as foetuses (there are no morally relevant differences between them), if they suffer unbearably
  4. Newborns may be born with severe abnormalities (that cannot always be diagnosed before birth) and can be an intolerable burden on their mother/family (including when circumstances change after birth)
  5. Therefore, "after-birth abortion" (euthanasia of newborns) can be justified in some circumstances

“Abortion” is the ending of a process, and in this case it refers to ending the process of pregnancy before its natural conclusion. Therefore, “after-birth abortion” is a self-contradictory phrase since birth ends the pregnancy leaving no pregnancy to be aborted. It is a phrase composed of words to mask the true intent of infanticide.

“In conclusion, having investigated the new concept we have concluded that the term "after-birth abortion" is biologically and conceptually nonsensical.”[11]

References

  1. ↑ Kaczor, Christopher (2018). "A dubious defense of 'after-birth abortion': A reply to Räsänen". Bioethics 32 (2): 132–137. doi:10.1111/bioe.12413. PMID 29171674. 
  2. ↑ Giubilini, Alberto; Minerva, Francesca (2013). "After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?". Journal of Medical Ethics 39 (5): 261–263. doi:10.1136/medethics-2011-100411. PMID 22361296. 
  3. ↑ O'Brien, Breda. "Swift justice for newborns who might be a 'burden on society'" (in en). The Irish Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/swift-justice-for-newborns-who-might-be-a-burden-on-society-1.474591. 
  4. ↑ Curtis, Mary C. (5 March 2012). "'After-birth abortion': Can they be serious?". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/post/after-birth-abortion-can-they-be-serious/2012/03/03/gIQADgiOsR_blog.html. 
  5. ↑ ""Liberals Are Disgusting": In Defence of the Publication of "After-Birth Abortion" | Practical Ethics". blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk. http://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2012/02/%E2%80%9Cliberals-are-disgusting%E2%80%9D-in-defence-of-the-publication-of-%E2%80%9Cafter-birth-abortion%E2%80%9D/. 
  6. ↑ Biegler, P. (2012). "Public distress as a moral consideration in after-birth abortion". Monash Bioethics Review 30 (1): 48–51. doi:10.1007/BF03351332. PMID 22924239. 
  7. ↑ Hauskeller, Michael (July 2012). "Reflections from a Troubled Stream: Giubilini and Minerva on "After-Birth Abortion"". Hastings Center Report 42 (4): 17–20. doi:10.1002/hast.53. PMID 22777974. https://philarchive.org/rec/HAURFA. 
  8. ↑ Wrigley, Anthony (May 2013). "Limitations on personhood arguments for abortion and 'after-birth abortion'". Journal of Medical Ethics 39 (5): e15–e18. doi:10.1136/medethics-2012-100958. PMID 23637455. http://eprints.keele.ac.uk/3154/1/Limitations%20on%20Personhood%20Arguments%20SUBMISSION%20to%20JME.doc. 
  9. ↑ Rini, Regina A (May 2013). "Of course the baby should live: against 'after-birth abortion'". Journal of Medical Ethics 39 (5): 353–356. doi:10.1136/medethics-2012-100640. PMID 23637452. https://philarchive.org/rec/RINOCT. 
  10. ↑ Tooley, Michael (May 2013). "Philosophy, critical thinking and 'after-birth abortion: why should the baby live?'". Journal of Medical Ethics 39 (5): 266–272. doi:10.1136/medethics-2012-100861. PMID 23637425. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Benagiano, Giuseppe; Landeweerd, Laurens; Brosens, Ivo (July 2013). ""After birth" abortion: a biomedical and conceptual nonsense". The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine 26 (11): 1053–1059. doi:10.3109/14767058.2013.779661. PMID 23495749. 




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