Utilitarianism In John Mill's View Of Abortion
The definition of abortion is the deliberate termination of pregnancy by surgical or medical means. There are different theories arguing whether or not it is moral or ethical to terminate a pregnancy, and whether or not a fetus is considered a human life. No matter where you stand on the issue, abortion is one of the most debated topics in today’s society.
If the killing of an innocent person is considered morally wrong, then why shouldn’t it be considered that having an abortion be morally wrong? By the time a woman finds out she is pregnant the fetus has already started forming human like components. Three weeks after conception the fetus’s brain, spinal cord, heart and other organs have started to form, four weeks after conception the fetus …show more content…
According to Bentham, abortion can be viewed from a utilitarian perspective in ethics as it focuses on the pleasure over the pain of an action. An English philosopher by the name of John Mill uses the utilitarianism approach, arguing that we should offer freedom of choice to all individuals. Mill believes that women have the right to do what they want to their own bodies, and that they should do what is best for them. Utilitarianism challenges traditional perspectives that abortion is an evil act, instead it argues that the end validates the means. In “Principles of morals and legislation” by Bentham, a person’s value of a pleasure or pain considered by itself is based on the intensity, duration, certainty or uncertainty, and the propinquity or remoteness. According to Mill individuals need to be rational enough in realizing that actions can result into either a favorable outcome or an unfavorable outcome. In Mill’s opinion aborting the fetus is considered the greater good to avoid the possibility of stress and grief in the future, in situations where the pregnant woman believes that over time the fetus will be a drawback. Utilitarianism suggests that any pregnancy signifying any kind of mental, emotional, financial, or physical hardship should be terminated through abortion. Utilitarianism is a straightforward approach in deciding the best options of whether the pleasure is greater than pain for all of the parties that are
If the killing of an innocent person is considered morally wrong, then why shouldn’t it be considered that having an abortion be morally wrong? By the time a woman finds out she is pregnant the fetus has already started forming human like components. Three weeks after conception the fetus’s brain, spinal cord, heart and other organs have started to form, four weeks after conception the fetus …show more content…
According to Bentham, abortion can be viewed from a utilitarian perspective in ethics as it focuses on the pleasure over the pain of an action. An English philosopher by the name of John Mill uses the utilitarianism approach, arguing that we should offer freedom of choice to all individuals. Mill believes that women have the right to do what they want to their own bodies, and that they should do what is best for them. Utilitarianism challenges traditional perspectives that abortion is an evil act, instead it argues that the end validates the means. In “Principles of morals and legislation” by Bentham, a person’s value of a pleasure or pain considered by itself is based on the intensity, duration, certainty or uncertainty, and the propinquity or remoteness. According to Mill individuals need to be rational enough in realizing that actions can result into either a favorable outcome or an unfavorable outcome. In Mill’s opinion aborting the fetus is considered the greater good to avoid the possibility of stress and grief in the future, in situations where the pregnant woman believes that over time the fetus will be a drawback. Utilitarianism suggests that any pregnancy signifying any kind of mental, emotional, financial, or physical hardship should be terminated through abortion. Utilitarianism is a straightforward approach in deciding the best options of whether the pleasure is greater than pain for all of the parties that are