Judith Jarvis Thomson A Defense Of Abortion Summary

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This paper will address the ideas presented in Judith Jarvis Thomson’s paper, “A Defense of Abortion,” analyzing the argument involving the violinist and attempting to further emphasize how it justifies the moral permissibility of abortion. I intend to elaborate on the significance of her argument and its flexible parameters, explaining how even the variations have implications on the permissibility of abortion. In addition, I address the claims that Beckwith makes in regards to an unborn entity having “a prima facie right to her mother’s body,” explaining how such a right doesn’t outweigh the mother’s autonomy. Thomson’s argument is as follows: you wake up one morning and find yourself, in bed, hooked up to a famous violinist. After he fell ill, the Society of Music Lovers scoured the area to find someone with a compatible blood type, whose kidneys would be able to sustain the violinist's life for the next nine months.. and they found you. Although it would be generous to stay in bed …show more content…

Therefore, although the violinist too deserves to continue living, he can’t force another person to sacrifice their freedom in order to save him. However, when her proposed situation is manipulated, it is possible to believe that in some cases, one would be obligated stay plugged in. For example, if all that the violinist required was 5 minutes of your time, it would be barbaric to deny him that. However, very few people would stay for 9 months, and even less 9 years of their lives to save him, as these timeframes ask for too much. This presents an interesting question: Where is the line drawn? At what point between 5 minutes and 9 months does this obligation to help crumple? I would propose that there is no line, and that that is what makes the case so similar to that of pregnancy and

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