基本説明
Features a debate between four noted philosophers - Michael Tooley, Celia Wolf-Devine, Philip E. Devine, and Alison M. Jaggar - presenting different perspectives on one of the most socially and politically argued issues of the past 30 years.
Full Description
The newest addition to the Point/Counterpoint Series, Abortion: Three Perspectives features a debate between four noted philosophers - Michael Tooley, Celia Wolf-Devine, Philip E. Devine, and Alison M. Jaggar - with three different perspectives on abortion: the "liberal" pro-choice approach, the "communitarian" pro-life approach, and the "gender justice" approach. Each of the authors takes a controversial position, and all push their philosophical opinions to their logical limits. All of the views presented are radical, both in the sense of exploring fundamental assumptions and in the sense of diverging from mainstream opinion in America. They do not rely on religious authority; therefore their arguments address all citizens regardless of their religious beliefs. The first "liberal" pro-choice approach is Michael Tooley's. After examining, analyzing, and challenging the most important arguments for a right to life before birth, he holds that abortion is always morally permissible in itself. He argues that it is unreasonable to claim that human embryos/fetuses either have or develop a right to life before birth. Celia Wolf-Devine and Philip E.
Devine, however, take a "communitarian" pro-life position, arguing that the human organism is a person from the point at which it first came to be. They also argue that, because its creators are responsible for its existence, the prospective parents have a moral obligation to care for its life. Finally, Alison Jaggar explores abortion in light of political philosophy and social justice. She argues that women everywhere have a human right to abortion, that abortion rights are necessary for gender equality, and that the availability of abortion is indispensable for pubic health and social development. As philosophers, the authors have special skills in critical analysis and thinking systematically about values. Because they do not rely on religious authority, their arguments address all citizens regardless of their religious beliefs. By drawing examples from real life, employing logic, philosophy, and empirical data, and addressing views of abortion from across other disciplines, the authors present a well-informed and up-to-date discussion. Advanced courses in ethics, contemporary moral problems, sex and gender, and bioethics will find this text useful and relevant
Contents
PART I . ; ABORTION: WHY A LIBERAL VIEW IS CORRECT ; MICHAEL TOOLEY ; 1. Thinking about the Morality of Abortion, and Discussing It with Others ; 2. A Brief Overview of My Defense of a Liberal Position on Abortion ; 3. Abortion and the Appeal to Religious Revelation ; 4. The Appeal to an Immaterial, Rational Mind ; 5. The Appeal to Psychological Capacities ; 6. Two Biological Anti-Abortion Arguments ; 7. Potentiality Arguments against Abortion ; 8. The Identity of Persons and Biological Organisms Argument ; 9. Are Moderate Positions on Abortion Tenable? ; 10. The Moral Status of Abortion: A Final Summing Up ; ABORTION: A COMMUNITARIAN PRO-LIFE PERSPECTIVE ; CELIA WOLF-DEVINE AND PHILIP E. DEVINE ; 1. . Where We Are Now ; 2. Methodology ; 3. The Prima Facie Case Against Abortion ; 4. . The Status of the Unborn ; 5. . The Pregnant Woman ; 6. . Questions of Law ; 7. Policy Recommendations ; 8. . Role and Limits of Philosophy ; 9. Conclusion ; ABORTION RIGHTS AND GENDER JUSTICE WORLDWIDE: AN ESSAY IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY ; ALISON M. JAGGAR ; 1. Introduction ; 2. Mapping the philosophical terrain ; 3. Liberalism and feminism: two thin commitments of political morality ; 4. Designing just institutions in an unjust world: some methodological commitments ; 5. Some principles of political morality salient to abortion in the real world ; 6. Abortion: human rights, gender equality, and the public good ; 7. Objections to abortion rights ; 8. Conclusion ; PART II. ; RESPONSE TO ALISON M. JAGGAR, CELIA WOLF-DEVINE, AND PHILIP E. DEVINE ; MICHAEL TOOLEY ; COMMENTS ON ALISON M. JAGGAR'S ESSAY ; REPLY TO CELIA WOLF-DEVINE AND PHILIP E. DEVINE ; 1. Species Membership and the Right to Life ; 2. The 'Reductio' Objection, and the 'Change-of-Address' Objection ; 3. Potentialities and the Right to Life ; SUMMING UP ; RESPONSE TO MICHAEL TOOLEY AND ALISON M. JAGGAR ; CELIA WOLF-DEVINE AND PHILIP E. DEVINE ; 1. Response to Tooley ; 2. Response to Jaggar ; 3. A Final Word ; RESPONSE TO MICHAEL TOOLEY, CELIA WOLF-DEVINE, AND PHILIP E. DEVINE ; ALISON M. JAGGAR ; 1. Methodology ; 2. Political philosophy ; 3. . Reality ; 4. Policy ; 5. Sailing under true colors
