Argumentative Essay Outline on Abortion

1. Introduction to the Topic

In the past decade, abortion has become an increasingly controversial and debated topic in society. With the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States, the topic of abortion has been thrust into the limelight once more. As the topic re-enters the public consciousness, it is important to explore and understand the legal, historical, and ethical context in which the debate is taking place. Abortion can be defined as “a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy” (Jadallah Mansour Shakhatreh et al., 2022). In other words, abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, usually before the embryo or fetus can live independently outside the mother’s womb. This raises many questions and dilemmas about the personal, social, ethical, legal, and cultural issues surrounding abortion.

These concerns can be summed up in a very basic question: Does an individual possess the right to choose whether or not to terminate a pregnancy? Oftentimes, the topic of abortion is broadly framed as the struggle between “pro-choice” and “pro-life.” While the pro-choice perspective advocates for a woman’s right to choose and highlights the potential quality-of-life issues related to bringing unwanted children into the world, the pro-life perspective focuses on the unborn child’s right to life, considering abortion as akin to murder. That being said, many individuals actually sit somewhere in between these two broad categories. Regardless of one’s stance on the overall topic of abortion, almost everyone can agree that it is a very complicated and emotional issue, often riddled with moral dilemmas.

With these fundamental ideas in mind, it is crucial to analyze the differing viewpoints and arguments regarding abortion, as well as the impact that currently-existing laws have on women’s rights. Although some laws ban abortions while others protect a woman’s right to choose, the prevalence of states that restrict abortion ultimately undermines a woman’s right to choose. That being said, beyond simply presenting the laws surrounding abortion, it is also important to explore the cultural and societal factors that influence one’s personal beliefs regarding abortion. With regard to the personal beliefs surrounding abortion, it is important to examine the ethical concerns and moral dilemmas of all those involved—from the man and woman directly involved in the pregnancy to the doctor performing the abortion and even society as a whole. By presenting these foundational concepts, a comprehensive framework surrounding the topic of abortion will be created. Following this introduction, the topic of abortion will be examined through the lenses of history, law, ethics, and the various arguments for and against abortion. Ultimately, informed knowledge of the topic and its nuances will contribute to a more fruitful discussion of abortion.

2. Historical Perspectives on Abortion

Practices regarding abortion have persisted through centuries. Different civilizations have approached it with individual beliefs, dictating particular methods of abortion. The Sumerians viewed it as a divine act, possessing knowledge of different abortive herbs. The Egyptians viewed it as unnatural but still prescribed list of abortive medicines in their medical papyrus. The Greeks have a multitude of literature regarding abortion. Pythagoreans viewed a soul to be conjoined with a fetus on the 40th day and thus considered it homicide if aborted thereafter. Spouses would often approach philosophers for advice; Hippocrates was very much against it and that was where the famous Hippocratic Oath was formed which forbade physicians from conducting abortions (Jadallah Mansour Shakhatreh et al., 2022). Aristotle studied fetuses’ development and stated that it does not become a human until anatomically formed on the 90th day. Stoics and Plato viewed it as homicide only after birth. This paved the path for future conflicts between religion and science. Romans were more practical and less moralistic. They legalized abortion in 400 B.C. and considered that a father had the sole right to decide the fate of the fetus. Abortion continued through the Roman Empire despite opposition from Christians. The Church prohibited it in the early days, but it was difficult to impose their beliefs since society conditioned women to abide by abortion despite the faith. Christianity maintained its stance on abortion throughout the Middle Ages despite women facing injustices. The Renaissance was the golden age for physicians to take charge of abortion and disregard opinions of the faith. Nonetheless, the Church still imposed restrictions over their practices. It was not until the 17th century where the Church lost control over the physicians and the latter dictated the fetish of conception and pregnancy. Medical advancements regarding abortion came about despite opposition from the Church. Experimentations on the female body were carried out and a new understanding of conception was discovered: the emergence of spermatozoa. This believed life originated from a single sperm and thus considered feticidal without the intent of homicide. The Victorian Era emerged with newfound female chastity; those with loose morals were demonized, thus casting a shadow on the medical profession. Consequently, abortion laws rose worldwide, fearing the profession would fall into the hands of women. Contemptible practices still exist with society indicating women as sinners despite their faith, and the Medieval Age injustices imposed on women continue to exist today. Laws vary worldwide and thus despite the historical framework, women continue to be condemned.

3. Legal Frameworks and Policies

The legality of abortion practices varies greatly in accordance with differences in laws, beliefs, and religious backgrounds in different regions around the world. While it is considered a fundamental human right and legal in many countries, abortion is still subject to restrictions or even outright bans in many places. These controversial restrictions often trigger public protests and debates. Various landmark legal cases have shaped how abortion rights are interpreted, most notably Roe v. Wade in the United States. Decided in 1973, the Supreme Court ruling found that a woman’s right to choose an abortion was constitutionally protected under the right to privacy. This ruling successfully liberalized abortion access in many U.S. states and has served as a model for similar policies worldwide. However, the U.S. legal landscape shifted drastically in 2022, when the precedence set by Roe v. Wade was overturned by Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This allowed individual states to enforce their own stricter and more conservative abortion laws, significantly curtailing women’s reproductive rights and access to abortion services (N. Erdman, 2017). Abortion access today is influenced by continuing legal battles, court rulings, and political movements across many states and countries. There are still various states in the U.S. that grant broad access to abortion, while others opt for extreme restrictions. Meanwhile, some local jurisdictions are boldly attempting to counter their state’s restrictive abortion laws through policy and legal means. Most countries in Europe have made legislative efforts to safeguard abortion rights, some in reaction to recent U.S. developments. A few countries in South America, such as Argentina and Colombia, have also successfully legalized abortion despite opposition from powerful and deeply entrenched Catholic institutions. On the other hand, many countries in Asia and Africa continue to enact restrictive abortion laws that ignore women's rights and health (Jadallah Mansour Shakhatreh et al., 2022). A woman’s right to abortion is often contested in legal frameworks that reflect broader social debates over gender and morality. The ways in which pro-choice and pro-life legislators engage with or ignore legal precedent highlight both the complexities and the limits of law’s ability to shape social change. These realities necessitate advocacy efforts that engage with public opinion, which ultimately shapes the success or failure of legal reforms. The dichotomy of beliefs over whether abortion should be regulated or allowed to the fullest extent is present in many societies across the globe.

4. Ethical Considerations in Abortion Debates

The question of when the human fetus becomes a person is perhaps the leading ethical concern in the ongoing debates about the ethics of abortion. Most who oppose abortion believe that the fetus is a person (or already has the right to life, which is nearly the same thing as being a person) from the moment of conception, and most who defend abortion believe that the fetus only becomes a person after it acquires certain human features, usually at birth when the fetus emerges from the womb. Such persons might also believe that the woman's rights, such as the right to control her body, override any other rights the fetus might have, at least until birth. Therefore, the cognitive threshold at birth can be used as a common criterion for resolving the conflict of rights between the woman (who is clearly a person, aware of her rights and able to execute them) and the fetus (which is not even aware that it has a right to life, much less has the consciousness required to acknowledge and claim such a right).

Persons who believe the fetus becomes a person sometime after conception but before birth are in an awkward ethical position, often consistent with their pro-life stand but not always elsewhere. If the fetus is already a person, its infringement of the woman's rights is morally warranted, and abortion becomes a non-negotiable moral violation. If not, it would be difficult to argue against abortion, particularly during the first trimester when a single multicellular entity possessed of neither sensation nor self-awareness is involved. Even during the third trimester, many of the larger claims made on behalf of the fetal rights position, such as father's rights and the rights of fetuses resulting from rape, seem difficult to support.

5. Arguments for and Against Abortion

Abortion, the termination of a pregnancy, is a medical procedure highly debated and criticized worldwide. This argumentative essay critically analyzes the ethics and controversies surrounding abortion. Abortion refers to "the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or followed by the death of the embryo or fetus." Moreover, abortion is classified as either induced or spontaneous. Induced abortion is performed intentionally through medical or surgical means, whereas spontaneous abortion occurs naturally, often referred to as a miscarriage (Jadallah Mansour Shakhatreh et al., 2022). Many people have taken either a pro-abortion or anti-abortion stance. The intention of this essay is to examine the arguments both for and against abortion.

Proponents of abortion rights argue that it is a woman’s right to choose. Access to abortion is essential to ensure safe medical procedures. One of the groups is arguments that base consideration on personal health. It is discussed that the decision to have an abortion is always related to personal circumstances and there are many different reasons why it might be the best choice. An unwanted pregnancy might threaten the life of the mother or a woman might have children already and be unable to provide for more. The second group of arguments consists of reasons linked to social and economic considerations. Having a baby involves significant social and economic responsibility. A woman who is unable to provide for a child should not have to give birth to one. A woman might have not finished her education or want to concentrate on her career and having a baby will affect those plans. The last group explains the implications of an unwanted pregnancy. A woman might have been a victim of rape or sexual abuse where a pregnancy would be a permanent reminder of that traumatic experience (Della Foresta, 1970). On the opposing side, abortion advocates, or anti-abortion activists, argue that the fetus is a unique living human being from the moment of conception. Generally, the arguments against abortion can be categorized into two groups. The first group presents the sanctity of life argument, appealing to ethical and often religious principles. The second group contains arguments related to social responsibility. An unwanted pregnancy can often be extremely difficult and it can change a woman’s life dramatically. Mental problems after giving birth to an unwanted child can be severe and in some cases, a woman might feel unable to raise that child. However, there are many women who cannot have children and would do anything to adopt. The emotional weight surrounding the decision to have an abortion is far greater than the emotional weight surrounding the decision to give birth. Therefore, women who have had abortions are often judged in a very similar manner to women who give their children up for adoption.

Abortion is a highly debated issue with diverse arguments both for and against it. The aim of this section is to summarize the arguments from both sides as clearly as possible, to foster understanding by clearing up misconceptions and fears. There are widely known misconceptions and fears regarding the debate in both directions. For example, it is often assumed that anti-abortion advocates do not care about women and their personal struggles and that abortion is not opposed because it does not upset a person to begin with. Of course, this is not true and it is important to recognize that the abortion procedures, no matter how “clinical” the word choice regarding them is, involve a person and decisions surrounding that person affect their life greatly. As highlighted by the struggles of women described above, abortion is often a deeply personal struggle, calling into question the very core of an individuals’ identity. The arguments listed for either side illustrate that the abortion debate encompasses a wide range of arguments unable to be summarized simply as “pro-choice” versus “pro-life.” Therefore, the arguments outlined aim to clarify what is meant by competing interests in the discussion of abortion and to illuminate ethical dilemmas that can be found on both sides.

References:

• Jadallah Mansour Shakhatreh, H., Jabbar Salih, A., Khalaf Abed Rabbo Aldrou, K., Ahmad Faleh Alazzam, F., & Saleh Bani Issa, M., 2022. Medico-Legal Aspects of Abortion: Updates of the Literature. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• N. Erdman, J., 2017. Theorizing Time in Abortion Law and Human Rights. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• Della Foresta, J., 1970. The Argument from Back-Street Abortion Revisited. [PDF]