17th February 2020, 8:48 AM
I feel entirely comfortable with thinking that abortion is fine and things would be better if the only children who were ever born were children who were wanted and desired by their parents.
Where 'life' begins is always going to be a subjective debate and not one in which I'm personally interested in staking a position, because it's secondary to the point. I don't consider biological function, on its own, to be what defines a person. Death is a great horror for us not because biological functions cease in a person we care about, but because they are a person we care about. Why do we care? Because of experiences we share. Because a person dying means that you are losing more than a operative meat suit. Important relationships are permanently severed, family and friend dynamics are irretrievably lost. Losing a good friend or family member is like having a part of your entire life erased. That's the element which defines the tragedy of death.
But, a fetus? It's definitely possible to have that attachment grow, and that attachment is as important to expectant parents and family as any other. It's also entirely possible to not have that attachment. It's possible for a fetus to be an unwanted and dangerous burden to its parents. If it is unwanted, this is the only possible stage of life where terminating it results only in the cessation of biological function. None of the other factors which makes death terrible are really in play here. And, the overwhelming share of performed abortions happen at this stage. Later-term abortions are much more rare and virtually never a choice made for the sake of birth control or other convenience.
Where 'life' begins is always going to be a subjective debate and not one in which I'm personally interested in staking a position, because it's secondary to the point. I don't consider biological function, on its own, to be what defines a person. Death is a great horror for us not because biological functions cease in a person we care about, but because they are a person we care about. Why do we care? Because of experiences we share. Because a person dying means that you are losing more than a operative meat suit. Important relationships are permanently severed, family and friend dynamics are irretrievably lost. Losing a good friend or family member is like having a part of your entire life erased. That's the element which defines the tragedy of death.
But, a fetus? It's definitely possible to have that attachment grow, and that attachment is as important to expectant parents and family as any other. It's also entirely possible to not have that attachment. It's possible for a fetus to be an unwanted and dangerous burden to its parents. If it is unwanted, this is the only possible stage of life where terminating it results only in the cessation of biological function. None of the other factors which makes death terrible are really in play here. And, the overwhelming share of performed abortions happen at this stage. Later-term abortions are much more rare and virtually never a choice made for the sake of birth control or other convenience.
YOU CANNOT HIDE FOREVER
WE STAND AT THE DOOR
WE STAND AT THE DOOR