Abortion An Ethical Debate Which Will Never End Essay

An ethical dilemma is a debate between two moral principles, where two sides can dispute about what is wrong or what is right. However, there is no real answer to an ethical dilemma. Is it a â€Å"simple† matter of what one believes in? The best answer would be, in ethics, it is not always simple. Ethics have a propensity to engage in moral reasoning, performing critical examination of different beliefs, in order to determine whether they should be accepted or rejected. Abortion is considered an ethical dilemma. It is examined by two different groups, which have two different perspectives; Pro-Life versus Pro-Choice. Abortion is an exceedingly controversial subject that has been continually argued over for hundreds of years, and still is an†¦show more content†¦Mark Timmons, in his book â€Å"Conduct and Character,† wrote that philosophers set out to â€Å"discover a decision procedure that can be used to guide correct moral reasoning and decision making about matters of moral concern† (5) like abortion. Theories like, Divine Command Theory, Utilitarianism, and Kantian Ethics all share the same goal, which is to provide clear moral aspects about abortion, but have different perspectives. In 1821, Connecticut passed the first law in the United States barring abortion subsequent to the practice of â€Å"quickening† which were usually performed by administering poison to the woman after the fourth month of pregnancy (Thiroux 255). At the present time, abortion is legal in the United States. The 1973 Roe v. Wade case was the landmark United States Supreme Court decision that documented abortion as a constitutional right, overturning individual states’ laws not in favor of abortion. In the case of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a woman’s right to an abortion falls within the right of privacy. The Fourteenth and Ninth Amendment clearly stated these rights in the Constitution. The Fourteenth Amendment states, â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside.† The Ninth Amendment states, â€Å"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not beShow MoreRelatedThe Controversial Issue Of Abortion1584 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion. The subject of abortion has become one of the most controversial issues in health care; deciding whether to abort a life or keep it. There are many ethical issues surrounding the topic. When does the fetus become a person? 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