10.10.2007 Marquis abortion is wrong - Marquis An Argument...

Marquis “An Argument that Abortion
is Wrong”

3 more arguments for FLO
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4 objections and replies
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Some more worries

From last time

Intractability of rights

FLO as the principle that underwrites why killing
is wrong.
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Argument 1 for FLO

Why does FLO underwrite the
wrongness of killing?

Argument 2 (p. 142).
- It explains why killing another is one of the worst
crimes.

It deprives me of more than any other crime

“This explains why we make the penalty for murder
greater than the penalty for other crimes” (142).
- Explains why killing is only acceptable in rare
circumstances—when that good is trumped by
other goods or duties

e.g., self-defense, killing to save one's self (the big man
in the cave), killing in a just war

Why does FLO underwrite the
wrongness of killing?

Argument 3
- It gets the cases right
- Explains both why we think:

(1) it permissible to take the life of one is permanently
unconscious

(2) it is not permissible to take the life of one who is
temporarily unconscious.
- Explains why we treat suicide victims
- Explains why it is wrong to kill non-human aliens
who are like us in all other respects.