Abortion - Most Debated Controversial Topic

Abortion

Abortion is one of the most debated controversial topics in the United States. It is an issue that fights the contradiction between morality and freedom. This topic is one that many people feel very passionately about. There are two main groups who battle these contradictions. The first group being pro-life, believing that regardless of the situation of the pregnancy, abortion is morally wrong and should not be performed under any circumstance. The second group is pro-choice and believes that a woman should be free to determine the outcome of her pregnancy. There is also a group of people that fall somewhere in between. These individuals feel that abortion should be permitted only under certain circumstances, namely rape or life threatening situations for the mother.

One of the main arguments between the two groups is at what gestation does the fetus become a human. Pro-lifers believe that a fetus is human at the moment of conception. Pro-choicers may argue that a fetus is not considered a human until birth.

There are many morality questions that come into play when it comes to abortion. Many feel that the choice to have an abortion is an egocentric decision and feel that it follows Thoreau's philosophy of self-interest and self-preservation. This is sue to the belief that the mother is focused solely on herself rather than her unborn child. This also goes hand in hand with the idea that happiness is acquired in either a hedonistic or epicureanistic manner. It can be seen as hedonistic in the fact that the mother is only looking forward with her own self interest in mind. It can also be seen as epicureanistic in the fact that the mother is avoiding responsibility by having her baby aborted.

In using an interdisciplinary approach can give a better insight to forming an opinion regarding abortion. The body of human knowledge consists of three main categories; humanities, social science, and science. Looking at abortion through these three aspects will help me to form an educated opinion on the subject.

The humanities are used mainly to persuade an individual's opinions about abortion. Books are being written about the pros and cons of abortions. These books are then published and made available for people to read. These books are often filled with biased statistics that support their opinions. Abortion messages are being displayed through art, another aspect of the humanities. Painting, pictures, and photos are also made available to the public in hopes of getting others to understand agree with their opinions. The purpose of this artwork is to evoke an emotion from the viewer that will lead them to form a strong opinion based on the topic of abortion. Many of these works are to support the pro-life point of view.

The picture above shows the innocence and fragility of a newborn baby. This photo was found posted on many anti-abortion websites in order to invoke a feeling of compassion for life.

This photo is also seen on many anti-abortion websites. This photo is a response to the disagreement of when a fetus should be considered human. This pre-born baby is at a gestation of six weeks. Already at this stage of development the fetus has developed a head, eyes, arms, hands, and fingers. The goal of the pro-lifers is to illustrate that even at six weeks after conception the fetus is in fact a human.

This photo is designed to show that a baby is capable of living on it's own despite the fact that at this age many chose to abort their babies. This also furthers the argument that it is indeed a human being despite its age. The humanities, namely literature and photos, help to push across the human element.

Social sciences delve into the mental and statistical sides of abortion. The main psychological affect of abortion is known as post abortion syndrome. "Since 1980, mental health providers have begun treating an increasing number of women who are suffering mental and emotional difficulties as a result of induced abortions." (http://www.abortionfacts.com/reardon/who_is_at_risk_of_pas.asp) Women suffering from PAS are typically those who are pressured into an induced abortion or have mixed feeling towards the abortion. "Researchers report that 30 to 60 percent of women seeking abortion express some desire to keep the child." (http://www.abortionfacts.com/reardon/who_is_at_risk_of_pas.asp) This would suggest that the majority of women suffer some negative effects after an abortion. "Temporary feelings of relief are frequently followed by a period psychiatrists identify as emotional "paralysis" or post-abortion "numbness." Like shell-shocked soldiers, these aborted women are unable to express or even feel their own emotions. Their focus is primarily on having survived the ordeal, and they may be, at least temporarily, out of touch with their feelings." (http://www.abortionfacts.com/reardon/who_is_at_risk_of_pas.asp)

Studies have also been done to determine the effect of geographical location on the approval or disapproval of abortion. (AP) - Number of abortions per state in 1996, with the rate per 1,000 women:

* Alabama 13,826, 14

* Alaska 2,139, 15

* Arizona 11,016, 11

* Arkansas 5,882, 11

* California 280,180, 39

* Colorado 9,710, 11

* Connecticut 14,094, 20

* Delaware 4,482, 26

* District of Columbia 13,674, NA

* Florida 80,040, 27

* Georgia 35,790, 20

* Hawaii 4,916, 19

* Idaho 1,022, 4

* Illinois 53,613, 20

* Indiana 13,341, 10

* Iowa 7,602, 12

* Kansas 10,685, 19

* Kentucky 7,000, 8

* Louisiana 11,865, 12

* Maine 2,615, 9

* Maryland 12,363, 10

* Massachusetts 29,293, 21

* Michigan 30,208, 14