The Abortion Morality Ethics Dilemma

The Abortion Morality Ethics Dilemma

Case for discussion:

“A 29-year-old married woman is a candidate for a vice presidential position at a large public relations firm. Although she has been taking birth control pills for some time, she now learns that she is pregnant. After considering all of her options, she concludes that a maternity leave to have the baby would cost her the promotion. She also thinks that she might want to have a child in a few years, but for now she decides to have an abortion. Her husband wants a child.”

Posited Question:

What would you recommends to her as the morally acceptable thing to do?

The 21st century workforce poses very real and challenging moral dilemmas for women. The conflicting life dilemma’s that seems to be pulling women apart is their unique position in human nature, child bearing, and their desire to improve their lives and advance their interests and self-respect.

Our 29 year-old pregnant working woman faces this dilemma, and after considering all her options she has decided, to abort her baby. She is concluding that being pregnant and having to be away from work for maternity leave will cost her the promotion. The pregnancy was something that was out of her control, even though she was taking her birth control pills. She is not opposed to having a child but not now. Yet, in her marriage her husband wants to have a child. Her decision seems to be one sided given the fact that she and her husband do want a child. She is probably not the only woman who has found herself in this same situation, and it is possible she has not weighed up the problem completely. Other options might be available to her that she has not discovered, so a careful review is needed.

Further research is needed to avoid a rash decision. Considering her situation, as husband and wife they agree they both want a child. Wanting a child then gives them the motivation to acquire knowledge and think through the options to allow the participants to most morally allowable thing to do. Some options are:

• Have the baby, work from home.

• Have the baby and get another job

• Have the baby hire a nanny/wet nurse, and keep the promotion, and go back to work.

• Have the baby and explore options in how the family can help.

• Have the baby because a pregnancy is usually not something planned.

• Have the baby because once it is conceived it is a living human organism.

• Abort the baby, it is not a fully developed fetus; it has no moral standing.

• Abort the baby, keep the job, and keep the promotion.

• Abort the baby and face possible divorce, or marital problems.

• Abort the baby and risk chances of future viable pregnancies.

• Abort the baby face possible psychological trauma.

• Abort the baby and risk diminishing opportunity to have babies as she gets older.

Beyond their nuclear family, there are other people that can be affected by their decision. Each person would have their point of view in solving this pregnancy dilemma.

The 29 year-old woman and her husband would face certain repercussions in the light of their decision. But as you analyze you start to see other people that can be adversely affected, positively or negatively, such as the baby itself, the mother’s health. Children bring certain moral emotional and financial obligations they might not be ready to face. Not having the child can have an impact on their extended family, and on the same note their extended family can be a source of help, emotionally, financially, and morally. As husband and wife they can try to solve the situation by themselves, but that approach has the possibility to worsen things. The company may support her in the light of the fact that she faces this moral dilemma, and may still offer her the promotion despite her pregnancy. The family will suffer stress, and yet having a child can bring enormous amount of joy that can outweigh all the negative ramifications.

Theory Application

Egoism as a Consequential Theory:

Choosing Egoism theory in the application of abortion is done for the sole purpose to reach a clear understanding that everyone can understand. It has no origin linking it to a particular scholar; it has been around as long as there have been people. Egoism identifies long-term interests; the right action in any situation is the one that is of most benefit to the individual’s long term interests. Ethical acts to the egoist are those behaviors that result in their best interest, long-term personal interest without regard for the well being of others.

Egoism has exclusive focus on the outcomes and results of action, action that negatively affect long term interests are bad consequences and are ethically bad. Action that positively affects long term interest is a good consequence, so what matters most is how things turn out.

Egoism’s Assumption:

Egoism’s assumption is simple and is simply based in human nature, where human nature is completely self-centered. It is called psychological egoism because all human action is motivated by self-interest. Its analogous fallacy is the questionable claim fallacy given this statement; All human actions are always motivated by self-interest.

Egoism’s Strength and Weaknesses:

Ethical theories provide a frame work to understand and help resolve moral issues, but contain strengths and weakness that will be listed here:

Positive Strengths of Egoism

• Closely tied to human nature

• Most human action is motivated by self-interest in relation to the individual long term interests

• Egoism attracts personal freedom