ABORTION

F. Basilio, J. Batac, A.
Bautista, R. Bautista, A.
Baylon
July 10, 2007
 Human Personhood
• Pro-life

– Human personhood begins at

conception. God injects a soul into the

zygote at the instant of conception.

 Human Personhood
• Pro-choice

– God injecting a soul into the zygote at the

moment of conception is impossible.

– No limbs, no head, no brain, no ability to

see, hear, smell, taste, or touch, no ability

to think and reason.

 Definition

• Abortion includes spontaneous

(miscarriage) and deliberately
procured (induced) termination of
pregnancy with the resulting death of
the human being at any stage of its
development. Abortion stops a
 Ethical Principles
• Inviolability of Life

– All human life from the moment of conception

is sacred. All have a duty to affirm, respect,
love and defend it.

• Stewardship

– Man has dominion over God’s creations:

himself, other creatures, and the environment.
A dominion that is not absolute but relative,
shared with the true owner that is God.
 Ethical Principles
• Respect for Person

– A child is the fruit and sign of mutual

self-giving of spouses united in the
exclusive commitment of marriage,
conceived through the conjugal act,
carried in the womb, brought into the
world, and brought up within a family.
 Ethical Principles
• Beneficence and Nonmaleficence

– First, do no harm. The physician should act

in the best interest of the patient.

• Justice

– Concerns the distribution of scarce health

resources, and the decision of who gets the
treatment.
 Ethical Principles
• Truthfulness and Honesty

– The patient deserves to know the whole

truth about their illness and treatment.

• Autonomy

– The patient has the right to choose their

treatment
 Ethical Principles

• Double Effect

– A foreseen evil may be allowed if the

foreseen intended good effect is greater
than and does not result from the evil
effect.