Don Marquis: an Argument That Abortion Is Wrong

question 19

Multiple Choice

Don Marquis: An Argument That Abortion Is Wrong
Marquis begins by arguing that the abortion debate has reached a standoff, and that the standard arguments on both sides have insurmountable problems. Opponents of abortion usually argue that all human beings have a right to life and the fetus is a human being, so the fetus has a right to life. Marquis objects that cancer-cell cultures are biologically human, but do not have a right to life. On the other hand, those who believe abortion is morally permissible often claim that only persons have a right to life and the fetus is not a person, so the fetus does not have a right to life. Marquis objects to this argument as well, on the grounds that infants and the severely retarded do not seem to be persons in the relevant sense, but clearly have a right to life. This suggests that a different approach to the abortion debate is needed.
Marquis proceeds by asking what it is that makes killing normal adult human beings wrong. Killing is wrong, Marquis maintains, because it deprives the victim of a valuable future. That is, killing someone is wrong if it deprives her of a "future like ours" (FLO) . This account is supported by four considerations: It fits with our considered judgment about the nature of the misfortune of death, it explains why murder is the worst of crimes, it coheres with our judgments about cases, and it is analogous to a persuasive argument for the wrongness of animal cruelty. If one accepts the FLO account of the wrongness of killing, one must conclude that abortion is presumptively wrong, because (in most cases) abortion deprives the fetus of a future like ours. Marquis closes by replying to the objection that his view entails that contraception is immoral.
-Marquis holds that abortion is not wrong only in rare cases such as:

• A) during the first fourteen days after conception.
• B) when the continuation of a pregnancy endangers the mother's life.
• C) when the fetus is anencephalic.
• D) all of the above.

Understand how net book value affects the interpretation of investment return.

Recognize the advantages of using residual income over other performance measures.

Define and calculate return on investment (ROI).

Distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.

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Definitions:

Domestic Prices

The prices of goods and services within a country's borders, influenced by local factors like production costs, taxes, and supply and demand.

Trade Deficit

A situation in which a country's imports exceed its exports, leading to more money flowing out of the country than coming in.

Net Exports

The difference between what a country sells to others and what it buys, represented by exports minus imports.

Goods And Services

The products (goods) and activities (services) that are produced and provided to satisfy consumers' wants and needs.