Mary Anne Warren's Argument On Abortion
Ethics Take-home Assignment!
1.! a. Clearly state the formal reconstruction (i.e. premise 1, premise 2, and conclusion) of the Pope’s argument against abortion as it was presented in class. (1 point)!!
Answer
It is wrong to kill an innocent human being
A fetus is an innocent human being
So it is wrong to kill a fetus
b. Mary Anne Warren argues that the Pope’s argument turns on an ambiguity. Which word does she say is ambiguous in the Pope’s argument? (1 word, 1/2 point)!!
Answer
Human c. What are the two meanings of that word that might be at issue according to Warren? (2 sentences, 1/2 point)!!
Answer
Moral sense and genetic sense
Human being is used in a moral sense to mean a person and in a genetic sense to mean biological human
d. Pick …show more content…
We discussed two versions of Kant’s Categorical Imperative. Pick either one, state it clearly, and use it to explain why Kant thinks that stealing is morally impermissible. (A short paragraph, 1 point)!!
Answer
In Kant’s argument he argues that any action taken against another person to which the person could not consent violates the perfect duty explained in the second formulation. If a thief were to steal a book from a stranger, it may have been that the stranger would have consented to it, if he was asked by the thief. However, no one can consent to theft, because consenting would mean the transfer of items was not a theft, because the victim couldn’t have consented to the action, it could not be categorize as a universal law of nature, and theft opposes perfect duty.
c. Gensler appeals to arguments like this:!!!
1. If you are consistent and think that stealing is normally permissible, then you will consent to the idea of people stealing from you in normal circumstances. 2. You don't consent to people stealing from you in normal circumstances. 3. Therefore, if you are consistent then you will not think that stealing is normally morally
1.! a. Clearly state the formal reconstruction (i.e. premise 1, premise 2, and conclusion) of the Pope’s argument against abortion as it was presented in class. (1 point)!!
Answer
It is wrong to kill an innocent human being
A fetus is an innocent human being
So it is wrong to kill a fetus
b. Mary Anne Warren argues that the Pope’s argument turns on an ambiguity. Which word does she say is ambiguous in the Pope’s argument? (1 word, 1/2 point)!!
Answer
Human c. What are the two meanings of that word that might be at issue according to Warren? (2 sentences, 1/2 point)!!
Answer
Moral sense and genetic sense
Human being is used in a moral sense to mean a person and in a genetic sense to mean biological human
d. Pick …show more content…
We discussed two versions of Kant’s Categorical Imperative. Pick either one, state it clearly, and use it to explain why Kant thinks that stealing is morally impermissible. (A short paragraph, 1 point)!!
Answer
In Kant’s argument he argues that any action taken against another person to which the person could not consent violates the perfect duty explained in the second formulation. If a thief were to steal a book from a stranger, it may have been that the stranger would have consented to it, if he was asked by the thief. However, no one can consent to theft, because consenting would mean the transfer of items was not a theft, because the victim couldn’t have consented to the action, it could not be categorize as a universal law of nature, and theft opposes perfect duty.
c. Gensler appeals to arguments like this:!!!
1. If you are consistent and think that stealing is normally permissible, then you will consent to the idea of people stealing from you in normal circumstances. 2. You don't consent to people stealing from you in normal circumstances. 3. Therefore, if you are consistent then you will not think that stealing is normally morally