Compare opinions of world leading experts and influencers.

FAQ Send Feedback Sign Up Login

Abortion Law Religion Health Politics Topic Index

Add Expert Opinion Edit Question Edit Implications History

Should abortion be legal?

Those who believe abortion should be legal generally believe that the decision to end a pregnancy belongs to each individual woman - this view is called pro-choice. The opposing view, pro-life, is based on the belief that an egg becomes a fully fledged human life the moment it is fertilized, and that destroying it should be legally equivalent to murder.

Implications to Other Questions

Should research on stem cells from human embryos be banned?

+

If you believe B then presumably you believe A

Is abortion morally acceptable?

Experts and Influencers

Suggest Expert Quote (click to expand, no login required)

Agree

Experts In Law

Richard Nixon United States President 1969-1974

Agree

There are times when an abortion is necessary. I know that. When you have a black and a white... or a rape.

Edit Pitches

23 Jan 1973 Source

Julia Gillard Prime Minister, Australia

Agree

[If the federal government cut funding for abortion, then] Women without money would be left without that choice or in the hands of backyard abortion providers. I haven't ever heard anybody advocate that their moral view dictates women with wealth should be able to get abortions and women without wealth should not, but be in the hands of backyard operators. That's really what a debate about abortion financing at the Commonwealth level is about.

Edit Pitches

03 Feb 2005 Source

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Lobbyist

Agree

The decision when and whether to become a parent is one of the most private a person can make and one that has a profound affect on all aspects of our lives. To participate fully in society, we must be free to answer for ourselves whether we are ready and capable of being parents. To achieve this world, we must continue to strive for reproductive freedom for everyone.

Edit Pitches

22 Jan 2007 Source

Barack Obama United States President

Agree

I trust women to make these decisions in conjunction with their doctors and their families and their clergy.

The Family Pitch

Edit Pitches

26 Apr 2007 Source

Hillary Clinton US Secretary of State 2009-, Democrat

Agree

I think abortion should remain legal, but it needs to be safe and rare.

Edit Pitches

13 Apr 2008 Source

Experts In Politics

Joe Biden US Vice President, Democrat

Agree

My position is that I am personally opposed to abortion, but I don't think I have a right to impose my few on the rest of society. I've thought a lot about it, and my position probably doesn't please anyone. I think the government should stay out completely. I will not vote to overturn the Court's decision. I will not vote to curtail a woman's right to choose abortion. But I will also not vote to use federal funds to fund abortion.

Edit Pitches

01 Jan 1973 Source

Colin Powell Former U.S. Secretary of State

Agree

I believe in a woman's right to choose. ... I don't think it should be a litmus test to being a good Republican that you have to be pro-life. Some others in the party would disagree with me.

Edit Pitches

01 Aug 2000 Source

Experts In Philosophy

Julian Savulescu Philosophy Professor

Agree

We can all agree with those who see abortion as undesirable. We should promote other means of birth control and reduce the need for abortion. And we may disagree with people's decisions to have an abortion. But the decision to have an abortion is one of the most private and intimate decisions for a woman. There is no place for the law there.

Edit Pitches

05 Sep 2008 Source

Disagree

Experts In Politics

John McCain U.S. Senator, Republican

Mostly Disagree

The exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother are legitimate [to an outright ban on abortions].

Edit Pitches

31 Jan 2000 Source

Sub-Arguments Of This Expert:
Is abortion morally acceptable?
Mostly Disagree

Ron Paul U.S. Politician, Libertarian

Disagree

I strongly believe that a fetus is a human life, and that a fetus deserves the same legal protections afforded to all Americans.

Edit Pitches

30 Apr 2001 Source

Sub-Arguments Of This Expert:
Is abortion morally acceptable?
Disagree

Sarah Palin Former Governor of Alaska (Republican)

Disagree

[I'm as] pro-life as any candidate can be [...and has...] adamantly supported our cause since I first understood, as a child, the atrocity of abortion.

The Long Standing Pitch

Edit Pitches

01 Jun 2002 Source

Sub-Arguments Of This Expert:
Is abortion morally acceptable?
Disagree

Experts In Religion

The Catholic Church Largest Christian Church

Disagree

Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.

Edit Pitches

11 Oct 1992 Source

Suggested Expert Quotes

Old Testament

Exodus 21:22 If men strive [fight] and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit [fetus] depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

Source

Comments

Add Your TakeOnIt (click to expand, no login required)

1 Point the27th 09 May 2010 Stance on Question: Mostly Agree

My grandmother was a nurse before Roe v. Wade. She saw horrible things. Any pro-life advocate must be able to stomach consequences that I suspect most don't seriously consider.

On the other hand I'm a little shaky about moral justifications for abortion. I haven't seen good reason to believe that a fetus isn't a person. The best bet for pro-choicers is J.J. Thompson, and I'm with her, but not with enormous confidence.

0 Points Benja 10 May 2010 Stance on Question: Mostly Agree

"I haven't seen good reason to believe that a fetus isn't a person."
I believe the moral confusion occurs because people crave an absolute line where what exists is a gradual development into personhood. The question Is the value of a life proportional to its level of consciousness? seems to be the most logical reason to believe that a fetus isn't yet a person.

-1 Point annsalikea rodriguez 13 Apr 2010 Stance on Question: Disagree

no mater if it has a brain or not it is not rite to abort u can regret it after and itis still a living and u r killing it

-1 Point Anonymous 26 Apr 2010 Stance on Question: Neutral

if the mother and father do not want the baby, that's ok, but ur killing a living thing

0 Points Benja 10 Nov 2008 General Comment

An observation: perhaps it's inconsistent that The Economist does not state an opinion on abortion, yet vouches for a political candidate. They deliberately avoid having an opinion, but do describe the issue as polarizing (polarizing to their subscribers?).

0 Points Benja 13 Sep 2008 Editorial Comment

This is a good example of where:

"If you think A should be illegal then you think A is immoral".

Note that the reverse does not work, i.e.:

"If you think A is immoral, you think A should be illegal".

Perhaps you could get overly technical and argue that the link between legality and morality should be severed entirely. However, for the sake of simplicity and practicality, the most obvious illegal acts (e.g. murder, rape, theft) are generally considered immoral acts. It's funny how what is obvious to a 10 year old becomes confusing to an analytical philosopher.

0 Points kwambie 09 Apr 2010 General Comment

all those who speak out for the legalisation are already born. who will speak for the unborn? they too, deserve to live.

0 Points Anonymous 09 Apr 2010 General Comment

A fertilized egg doesn't have a voice. But it doesn't have a brain either.

-1 Point Anonymous 26 Apr 2010 General Comment

sure it doesn't have a brain, but if it was alive today im pretty sure it would of wanted the mother to NOT abort him/her. Sure, its the mother's body and choice, but what about the child's body and coice? Wouldn't you be emotionally hurt if your mother told you that she was going to abort you? Abortion should NOT be used as a form of contriception!!