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Single Idea 4675
[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 2. Population / a. Human population
]
Full Idea
Accepting views about the sanctity of life of the foetus commits us to a policy of drastically increasing the proportion of the population who are seriously abnormal.
Gist of Idea
The sanctity of life doctrine implies a serious increase of abnormality among the population
Source
Jonathan Glover (Causing Death and Saving Lives [1977], §11.7)
Book Ref
Glover,Jonathan: 'Causing Death and Saving Lives' [Penguin 1982], p.149
A Reaction
This is a utilitarian view, and one with which I sympathise. We can't steamroller women's feelings for some greater dream about humanity, but the larger picture is vital to the discussion.
The
41 ideas
from Jonathan Glover
4648
|
'Death' is best seen as irreversible loss of consciousness, since this is why we care about brain function
[Glover]
|
4649
|
If someone's life is 'worth living', that gives one direct reason not to kill him
[Glover]
|
4650
|
The quality of a life is not altogether independent of its length
[Glover]
|
4651
|
Utilitarians object to killing directly (pain, and lost happiness), and to side-effects (loss to others, and precedents)
[Glover]
|
4652
|
If killing is wrong because it destroys future happiness, not conceiving a happy child is also wrong
[Glover]
|
4654
|
Autonomy favours present opinions over future ones, and says nothing about the interests of potential people
[Glover]
|
4655
|
If a whole community did not mind death, respect for autonomy suggests that you could kill them all
[Glover]
|
4656
|
A problem arises in any moral system that allows more than one absolute right
[Glover]
|
4657
|
Double Effect: no bad acts with good consequences, but possibly good acts despite bad consequences
[Glover]
|
4658
|
Acts and Omissions: bad consequences are morally better if they result from an omission rather than an act
[Glover]
|
4659
|
It doesn't seem worse to switch off a life-support machine than to forget to switch it on
[Glover]
|
4660
|
Harmful omissions are unavoidable, while most harmful acts can be avoided
[Glover]
|
4661
|
What matters is not intrinsic value of life or rights, but worthwhile and desired life, and avoidance of pain
[Glover]
|
4662
|
Defenders of abortion focus on early pregnancy, while opponents focus on later stages
[Glover]
|
4663
|
If abortion is wrong, it is because a foetus is a human being or a person (or potentially so)
[Glover]
|
4664
|
If abortion is wrong because of the 'potential' person, that makes contraception wrong too
[Glover]
|
4666
|
If viability is a test or boundary at the beginning of life, it should also be so for frail old people
[Glover]
|
4665
|
Conception isn't the fixed boundary for a person's beginning, because twins are possible within two weeks
[Glover]
|
4667
|
How would we judge abortion if mothers had transparent wombs?
[Glover]
|
4669
|
Persons are conscious, they relate, they think, they feel, and they are self-aware
[Glover]
|
4668
|
You can't have a right to something you can't desire, so a foetus has no 'right' to life
[Glover]
|
4671
|
What is wrong with killing someone, if another equally worthwhile life is substituted?
[Glover]
|
4672
|
Apart from side effects, it seems best to replace an inadequate foetus with one which has a better chance
[Glover]
|
4670
|
Being alive is not intrinsically good, and there is no 'right to life'
[Glover]
|
4674
|
It is always right for a qualified person to perform an abortion when requested by the mother
[Glover]
|
4673
|
Abortion differs morally from deliberate non-conception only in its side-effects
[Glover]
|
4675
|
The sanctity of life doctrine implies a serious increase of abnormality among the population
[Glover]
|
4676
|
The 'no trade-off' position: killing is only justified if it prevents other deaths
[Glover]
|
4679
|
One test for a worthwhile life is to assess the amount of life for which you would rather be unconscious
[Glover]
|
4680
|
Autonomy seems to acquire greater weight when the decision is more important to a person
[Glover]
|
4681
|
The Nazi mass murders seem to have originated in their euthanasia programme
[Glover]
|
4683
|
Involuntary euthanasia is wrong because it violates autonomy, and it has appalling side-effects
[Glover]
|
4682
|
Euthanasia is voluntary (patient's wish), or involuntary (ignore wish), or non-voluntary (no wish possible)
[Glover]
|
4684
|
Maybe extreme treatment is not saving life, but prolonging the act of dying
[Glover]
|
4685
|
Societies spend a lot to save known persons, but very little to reduce fatal accidents
[Glover]
|
3784
|
Duty prohibits some acts, whatever their consequences
[Glover]
|
3785
|
You can't separate acts from the people performing them
[Glover]
|
3786
|
Aggression in defence may be beneficial but morally corrupting
[Glover]
|
3783
|
How can utilitarianism decide the ideal population size?
[Glover]
|
3787
|
Rule-utilitarianism is either act-utilitarianism, or not really utilitarian
[Glover]
|
3782
|
Satisfaction of desires is not at all the same as achieving happiness
[Glover, by PG]
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