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... The mother’s life right, however, should not be immediately overridden by any life right of the fetus – hence the exception I have added. Surely it will be said, though, “But if the fetus has a life right, why should we arbitrarily ignore it in favor of the mother’s? ... In any case, one life will invariably end in those situations, so formulating the standards ad hoc does no evil.
Yet rape, incest, and cases where the mother’s life is threatened do not make up the majority of cases where abortion takes place. ... This contention is crucial, as it points out that the fetus is indeed a distinct and separate life, dependent on the mother through no fault of its own. It is surely innocent, but the question of whether is has a right to life still remains unanswered. ... Yet here we are speaking of human life, a noteworthy distinction. ...
“But” the pro-choice lobby resounds, “the fetus does not have fully developed mental capacities yet, and therefore while it is human life, it hardly bears comparison to a fully developed adult.” I will grant this statement has some credence, however one must notice that the pro-choice claim runs into a slight snag in this area, as it uses an argument which can justify infanticide. The dependence on the mother for life may no longer exist with infants, but this pro-choice argument still effectively denies any innate right to life to individuals without fully developed mental capacities. ... An obvious addition to the pro-choice argument could thus contend that the fetus has practically no mental abilities, and is consequently more akin to a vegetable which society would not have many moral objections to terminating. ... Here the pro-choice lobby presents a difficult assertion, both difficult for the opposition to refute and supporters of abortion rights to prove.
Accordingly, the debate over whether the fetus has a right to life reflects the inability of science to provide any conclusive information which might convince either side of what rights the fetus ought to be granted under the law. We cannot know for certain whether a fetus is more akin to a human vegetable or an infant in terms of mental development. ... One side argues that the man has become a complete vegetable, void of any intelligence, and thus his life would be best terminated so he does not continue to inconvenience the hospital and his insurance company. ... Under their reasoning, he deserves to live so he can recover and live a fruitful life. Neither side has considerable evidence to back up their claims. Would it then be proper for the man’s family to side with the first group of doctors and order his life terminated, even with the uncertainty surrounding his condition?
We could certainly take the easy rout and assume that the man is a vegetable, and end his life even when he could have recovered. This course of action would unburden the man’s family, the hospital, and the insurance company, all of whom have property tied up in the preservation of the man’s life.
Approximate Word count = 2502
Approximate Pages = 10
(250 words per page double spaced)
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