Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference books, journals, text books and more. On the moral and legal status of abortion, mary anne warren. It is motivated by hursthouses puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by implication its underlying metaphysics are in a way, fundamentally irrelevant to her position. I begin by outlining virtue ethics in comparison to the two other dominant approaches in normative ethics. Virtue theory and abortion by rosalind hursthouse robyn waller phl 292 fall 2014 the morality of abortion is commonly discussed in relation to just two considerations. Alasdair macintyre and jeanpaul sartre a course in ethics duration. So the claim is that assessing some kind of standard moral worth or status of a fetus to set across from the same for a woman is irrelevant. And rape and incest are certainly not under a woman s control. Smith reproduced with permission much ethical theory has recognized that the very importance of the attempt to live an ethical life lies in the fact that in acting the individual forms herself or himself either for the better or for the worse. It appears that the last mentioned two theories have taken a general and simple stance for or against the termination of fetus life. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion the sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtuebased ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized as at least a possible rival to deontological and utilitarian theories.
Get a printable copy pdf file of the complete article 360k, or click on a page image below to browse page by page. Hursthouse herself wrote on abortion see virtue theory and abortion 1991, and though she may be against talking about the more general cases i. Yet there is an important disparity between zagzebskis contemporary virtue theory and aquinass view. Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference. Rosalind hursthouse, gavin lawrence, warren quinn, oup, 1995.
An abortion is the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death, when artificially induced by chemical, surgical, or other means. Abortion and virtue ethics by mathew lu introduction my goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of. According to rosalind hursthouse, an action is right from a virtue ethical perspective if and only if it is what the virtuous agent would do in the same circumstances. The introduction to the theory involves an explanation of and then contrast with deontological and utilitarian theories. Singer suggests that the argument of abortion has missed the point. Hursthouse virtue theory and abortion virtue theory. Arational actions in the journal of philosophy, vol. Hursthouse herself wrote on abortion see virtue theory and abortion 1991, and though she may be against talking about the more general cases i so think its important to consider particular cases. Applies virtue theory to abortion debate concern is the morality, not whether it should be legal or not, and examines womens asking if they would have it. Thomass analysis of the virtue of studiositas and the vice of curiositas establishes an interconnection between the intellectual and the moral, the way in which knowledge is selfimplicating. Assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. Reviewedbygilbertharman,departmentofphilosophy, princetonuniversity. For utilitarianism, there is a link between right action and. For kantian ethics deontological theory, there is a link between right action and moral rules, and then between moral rules and rationality.
In what follows i attempt to answer that question by considering both what has been said and what we may further argue from a virtuefocused perspective. So the primary question for her in any issue is to quote from her book virtue theory and abortion. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion flashcards. Rosalind hursthouse, in her essay virtue theory and abortion, puts forth her theory of virtue by first introducing the mechanics of the theory and then applying it to the particular moral controversy of abortion. But that kind of reaction is one that seems to interconnect the idea of virtue in. The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as. Born in bristol, england, in 1943, hursthouse spent her childhood in new zealand. For utilitarianism, there is a link between right action and consequences, and then between. The idea behind virtue theory is that all decisions should be guided by virtues.
Virtue theory and abortion essay medicine and health. I then consider what some important virtue ethicists have said about. Virtue theory and abortion in philosophy and public affairs, vol. I then consider what some important virtue ethicists have said about abortion, especially the work of rosalind hursthouse. Rosalinda hursthouse virtue theory and abortion critical. Hursthouse, rosalind 1991, virtue theory and abortion. An application of an ethics of virtue to the issue of abortion janet e.
Abortion abortion is the intentional termination of a pregnancy. An ethical theory should be able to guide action, to tell us what we ought to do given our particular circumstances. Jo kornegay, hursthouses virtue ethics and abortion. Hursthouse virtue theory and abortion virtue theory and. May 01, 20 critical assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. After recognizing the many contributions her analysis offers, i. The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtuebased ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion the sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtue based ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized as at least a possible rival to deontological and utilitarian theories. Hursthouse, rosalind 1991 the sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtuebased ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized as at least a possible rival.
These are my notes from the reading, rather than a summary. Abortion the discourse on abortion generally is focused on two considerations. Virtue theory and abortion rosalind hursthouse free essays. Hursthouse considers honesty, for instance, to be a permanent and deep state of a persons character, which can make it sound as though it is some condition of the brain that predisposes us to behave in certain characteristically. Virtue theory, she says based on aristotle, is concerned with human flourishing. Jo kornegay 2011 ethical theory and moral practice 14 1. Virtue theory what exactly can virtue say about abortion. Abortion and virtue ethics ust research online university of st. A screencast for phil 230 at the university of british columbia. What can contemporary virtue ethics say about the problem of abortion. Virtue theory definition of virtue theory by medical. Other virtue theorists homer virtues apply to specific roles and vary according to your function in society plato the four cardinal virtues are courage, justice, temperance and wisdom benjamin franklin the end of virtue theory is external utilitarianism, not internal being a virtuous person.
Nov 18, 2014 a screencast for phil 230 at the university of british columbia. The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics. With recognition has come criticism, of varying quality. Virtue ethics and abortion browse the contents ofthis issueofcedarethics. Many people would bristle at the notion that an ethic of virtue might even come close to endorsing abortion at all because the two terms virtue and abortion must be, in some way, mutually exclusive. It is motivated by hursthouse s puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by. This essay explicates and evaluates the roles that fetal metaphysics and moral status play in rosalind hursthouses abortion ethics. Virtue theory and abortion essay medicine and health articles. Abortion and virtue ethics by mathew lu introduction my goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of abortion. He asserts that the debate should focus on if it is wrong to kill an innocent human being. What is the major criticism of virtue ethics that hursthouse identifies. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. In what follows i attempt to answer that question by considering both what has been said and what we may further argue from a virtue focused perspective.
Applying virtue ethics in virtues and reasons, festschrift for philippa foot, eds. The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtue based ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized. My goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of abortion. Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion, part 1 youtube. Rosalind hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion philpapers. In having an abortion in these circumstances, would the agent acting virtuously or viciously or neither. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion dead. Despite being widely anthologized, virtue theory and abortion has received little scrutiny in print. Rosalinda hursthouse virtue theory and abortion critical assessment. Another problem for virtue ethicists is pinning down just what it means to have any particular virtue or vice. Relatively brief discussions of this paper which are integrated into analyses of other virtue theorists views of abortion and related issues are found in john hackerwright, 2007, pp.
What does matter is how a virtuous person would regard any given abortion. The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtuebased ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized. Mar 01, 2015 these are my notes from the reading, rather than a summary. A w o m a n s r gi h t t o c h o o s e complementary, and for many, abortion may not be the preferred method of contraception. Opinion i agree with hursthouse that since pregnancy is unlike any other condition, that viewing it in callous terms is not the way to go about discussing abortion. Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion part 2 youtube.
For aristotelian ethics virtue theory, there is a link between right action and the virtuous person, and then between the virtuous person and happiness eudaimonia. He asserts that the debate should focus on if it is wrong to kill an innocent human being instead of arguing whether a fetus is or is not an innocent. Relatively brief discussions of this paper which are integrated into analyses of other virtue theorists views of abortion and related issues are found in john hacker wright, 2007, pp. We begin by comparing virtue ethics to the two other dominant approaches in normative ethics.
Rosalind hursthouse general defense of virtue theoryethics application of virtue to the issue of abortion slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Critical assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. Rosalind hursthouse is a proponent of virtue ethics. Hursthouse thinks that this framing of the issues can be limited and myopic. View all 21 references add more references citations of this work beta. I feel if we could have a discussion of abortion on a mainstream scale it would improve things. Federation ippf is a global service provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health. It appears that the last mentioned two theories have taken a general and simple stance for or. Abstract singer suggests that the argument of abortion has missed the point. An application of an ethics of virtue to the issue of abortion. This theory, known as the prochoice attitude, has been a vehicle for most of liberal and feminist claims on the issue.
Hursthouse is professor emerita of philosophy at the university of auckland. A critical analysis of prochoice arguments from philosophy, law, and science, ed. Anscombes seminal essay modern moral philosophy, in which she levies harsh criticisms of the dominant theories of normative ethics and espouses the need. Syllabus phil237 contemporary moral issues mcgill university. Hursthouse s most substantial contribution to modern virtue ethics is her book on virtue ethicswhich explores its structure as a distinctive actionguiding theory, the relationship between virtue, the emotions and moral motivation, and the place hurthouse the virtues within an overall account of human flourishing. Hursthouse s most hursthouze contribution to modern virtue ethics is her book on virtue ethicswhich explores its structure as a distinctive actionguiding theory, the relationship between virtue, the emotions and moral motivation, and the place of the virtues within an overall account of human flourishing. Thirdly, theory of freewill in defense of abortion will be explicated. Full text full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version.
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