Moral Considerability Morally considerable Obligations regarding or - PDF document

Moral considerability and Noonan Abortion and Moral Considerability Noonan’s Argument Moral Considerability Morally considerable Obligations “regarding” or “with respect to” • Moral standing • Obligation regarding • Obligations TO (for its property is not obligation TO the property but to own sake) people • Direct obligation • An indirect obligation • Example: other people • When others care, we are surely morally have obligation regarding, considerable but still not morally considerable Moral Considerability and Fetus If fetus is not morally If fetus is morally considerable, then: considerable, then: • May still have obligation • Obligation TO it for regarding fetus because others (e.g., parents) care its own sake • Obligation depends on • Not dependent on others. other people caring • Even if others care, still not morally considerable (by definition) Ethics 1

Moral considerability and Noonan Requirement for Moral Considerability? What are your candidates for moral considerability? • ________________________________ • ________________________________ • ________________________________ • _______________________________ When Does Fetus Become Fully Morally Considerable? (“Human”) • Sperm and egg cells • Conceptus (embryo, “pre-embryo”) • Implantation • Brain waves • Awareness of sensations (e.g., pain and pleasure); capacity for experience • Heart beat • “Quickening” • Birth • Self-awareness • Fully developed rationality Noonan’s Argument • It is immoral to harm one’s “fellow man” • It is immoral to harm one’s fellow man to the point of killing except in self-defense. • The fetus is a human, a “fellow man” • Therefore, it is immoral to kill a fetus except in self-defense; i.e., when the mother’s life is in danger. Ethics 2

Moral considerability and Noonan The Probability Argument • Not meant to be decisive. Just “buttressing” • The greatest point of discontinuity in the probability of the fetus “fully developing” • Why not “becoming human”? • E.g., from sperm 1 in 200,000 to 4/5 chance at conception Where NOT to Draw Line • Viability – What is Noonan’s “reduction to absurdity argument against viability? – How might we criticize it? • Sentiments of adults Think about Warren’s (next essays’) view on this exact point. • Others Ethics 3