Abortion

The abortion debate

Throughout the history of abortion, induced abortions have always been a source of considerable debate and controversy regarding the morality and legality of abortion. An individual's position on the complex ethical, moral, philosophical, biological and legal issues have a strong relationship with that individual's value system. A person's position on abortion may be best described as a combination of their personal beliefs on the morality of induced abortion, and that person's beliefs on the ethical scope and responsibility of legitimate governmental and legal authority. Another major factor for many individuals is authoritative religious doctrine. See religion and abortion for more.

Related Topics:
History of abortion - Debate - Controversy - Ethical - Moral - Philosophical - Biological - Legal - Value system - Governmental - Authority - Religion and abortion

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Abortion debates, especially pertaining to abortion laws, are often spearheaded by advocacy groups belonging to one of two camps. Those in favor of laws prohibiting abortion describe themselves as pro-life. Those against laws restricting abortion describe themselves as pro-choice. Both "pro-choice" and "pro-life" are loaded terms, designed to cast their position as advancing a general concept ("life" or "choice") that has broad support. Both terms are euphemisms designed to evade the use of the term "abortion", such as being "anti-abortion" or "pro-abortion". Individuals are also usually classified or self-described as pro-choice or pro-life, despite the range of intermediate opinions.

Related Topics:
Advocacy groups - Pro-life - Pro-choice - Loaded terms

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In debate, whether friendly discussion or political positioning, the arguments on abortion usually seek to change either an individual's beliefs on the moral permissibility of an induced abortion, or on the jutification of laws permitting or restricting abortion. Arguments on morality and legality tend to collide and combine, complicating the issue at hand. In debate, a major complication is the terms of debate. Among the ambigous terms discussed in the terminology section ^ of this article, the choice of terms used to frame the debate is hotly contested. This can be a deliberate attempt to gain an advantage using rhetoric, or merely the result of an individual's view point. Common examples of these terms include:

Related Topics:
Beliefs - Laws - ^ - Rhetoric

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• The induction of abortion itself: this can be described merely as a procedure / choice, or as killing / murder.
• The object of the procedure: is it merely the termination of a pregnancy or the killing of a human being?
• The choice: who has the choice? Is there actually ever a choice being made?
• The embryo, fetus, or unborn child: is the human entity in the womb a tiny unborn child or a part of the mother-to-be's body?
• The begining of life: when does human life or human personhood begin?

Public opinion

Political sides have largely been separated into absolute extremes —either seeking to make all abortion illegal, or to permanently remove laws restricting all forms of abortion. Likewise, debate tends to center around individuals with strong positions, and pro-choice and pro-life advocates. Public opinion varies from poll to poll, and by country:

Related Topics:
Absolute - Pro-choice - Pro-life

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• One 2005 poll, which asked a sample of Americans to choose between two undefined labels ("pro-choice" and pro-life"), found that a majority (54%) prefer the label "pro-choice", while 38% prefer "pro-life". In the same poll, 30% said that they would like to see Roe vs. Wade overturned; 42% said abortion should be harder to obtain; 9% thought abortions should be easier to obtain, and 47% said ease or difficulty should remain the same.http://www.pollingreport.com/abortion.htm
• A similar 2004 poll revealed that a majority of Americans (53%) think that "Abortion destroys a human life and is manslaughter." A majority (58%) said they thought abortion was morally unacceptable "when the mother's life is not in danger". http://www.zogby.com/Soundbites/ReadClips.dbm?ID=6982
• A 2003 poll indicated a majority (57%) of Americans support legal abortion only in limited circumstances, such as "when the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest" or "when the woman's physical health is endangered". http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/20/health/main537243.shtml
• A recent poll of Canadians, conducted in April 2005 by Gallup, found that 52% of those polled want abortion laws to "remain the same," 20% want the laws to be "less strict," and 24% would prefer that the laws become "more strict." An earlier Gallup poll, from December 2001, asked, "Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances or illegal in all circumstances and in what circumstances?" 32% of Canadians responded that they believe abortion should be legal in all circumstance, 52% that it should be legal in certain circumstances, and 14% that it should be legal in no circumstances. See Abortion in Canada.
• In Ireland abortion is strongly opposed by a majority of the electorate and is largely forbidden.