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"After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?" is a controversial[1] article published by Francesca Minerva and Alberto Giubilini in Journal of Medical Ethics in 2013 (available online from 2012) arguing to call child euthanasia "after-birth abortion" and highlighting similarities between abortion and euthanasia.[2] The article attracted media attention[3][4] and several scholarly critiques.[5][6][7][8][9] According to Michael Tooley, "Very few philosophical publications, however, have evoked either more widespread attention, or emotionally more heated reactions, than this article has."[10][11]
The argument of the article is as follows:
- Abortion is justified because of the moral status of foetuses (their shared status of 'potential persons' is not morally relevant)
- Abortion is justified when the foetus has severe abnormalities or would be an intolerable burden to its mother/family (at least when adoption is not a viable option due to not being in the best interests of actual persons)
- Newborns have the same moral status as foetuses (there are no morally relevant differences between them), if they suffer unbearably
- Newborns may be born with severe abnormalities (that cannot always be diagnosed before birth) and can be an intolerable burden on their mother/family (including when circumstances change after birth)
- Therefore, "after-birth abortion" (euthanasia of newborns) can be justified in some circumstances
“Abortion” is the ending of a process, and in this case it refers to ending the process of pregnancy before its natural conclusion. Therefore, “after-birth abortion” is a self-contradictory phrase since birth ends the pregnancy leaving no pregnancy to be aborted. Some critics of the idea believe it is a phrase composed of words designed to hide the uncomfortable word of, infanticide.
“In conclusion, having investigated the new concept we have concluded that the term "after-birth abortion" is biologically and conceptually nonsensical.”[11]
References edit
- ^ Kaczor, Christopher (2018). "A dubious defense of 'after-birth abortion': A reply to Räsänen". Bioethics. 32 (2): 132–137. doi:10.1111/bioe.12413. PMID 29171674. S2CID 3765365.
- ^ Giubilini, Alberto; Minerva, Francesca (2013). "After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?". Journal of Medical Ethics. 39 (5): 261–263. doi:10.1136/medethics-2011-100411. hdl:2434/813845. PMID 22361296.
- ^ O'Brien, Breda. "Swift justice for newborns who might be a 'burden on society'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
- ^ Curtis, Mary C. (5 March 2012). "'After-birth abortion': Can they be serious?". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
- ^ ""Liberals Are Disgusting": In Defence of the Publication of "After-Birth Abortion" | Practical Ethics". blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
- ^ Biegler, P. (2012). "Public distress as a moral consideration in after-birth abortion". Monash Bioethics Review. 30 (1): 48–51. doi:10.1007/BF03351332. PMID 22924239.
- ^ Hauskeller, Michael (July 2012). "Reflections from a Troubled Stream: Giubilini and Minerva on "After-Birth Abortion"". Hastings Center Report. 42 (4): 17–20. doi:10.1002/hast.53. PMID 22777974.
- ^ Wrigley, Anthony (May 2013). "Limitations on personhood arguments for abortion and 'after-birth abortion'". Journal of Medical Ethics. 39 (5): e15–e18. doi:10.1136/medethics-2012-100958. PMID 23637455. S2CID 26659631.
- ^ Rini, Regina A (May 2013). "Of course the baby should live: against 'after-birth abortion'". Journal of Medical Ethics. 39 (5): 353–356. doi:10.1136/medethics-2012-100640. PMID 23637452. S2CID 26722229.
- ^ Tooley, Michael (May 2013). "Philosophy, critical thinking and 'after-birth abortion: why should the baby live?'". Journal of Medical Ethics. 39 (5): 266–272. doi:10.1136/medethics-2012-100861. PMID 23637425.
- ^ a b Benagiano, Giuseppe; Landeweerd, Laurens; Brosens, Ivo (July 2013). ""After birth" abortion: a biomedical and conceptual nonsense". The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. 26 (11): 1053–1059. doi:10.3109/14767058.2013.779661. PMID 23495749. S2CID 207530613.