Deck 45: A Defense of Abortion Judith Jarvis Thomson

Question 1

Thomson's own view is that personhood is achieved

A) at the moment of birth.
B) well before birth.
C) well after birth.
D) at the moment of conception.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The case of the violinist is meant to show that

A) abortion is always morally permissible.
B) not everyone has a right to life.
C) the right to life does not entail the right not to be killed.
D) everyone has a right to the bare minimum needed to keep him or her alive.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following arguments is often used to support the view that abortion is immoral even when it is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman?

A) The fetus is an innocent person and directly killing an innocent person is murder, which is absolutely impermissible.
B) Our moral obligations to the unborn outweigh our obligations to adult human beings.
C) We have no obligation to prevent a person from dying (the mother), while we do have an obligation to refrain from directly killing an innocent person (the fetus).
D) All of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

How does Thomson understand the right to life?

A) As the right to be guaranteed the basic means of survival
B) As the right not to be killed
C) As the right not to be killed unjustly
D) As the right to do whatever is necessary to defend oneself

Question 5

Thomson believes it would be indecent of a woman to not carry her fetus to term if

A) pregnancy lasted only an hour and constituted no threat to the woman's life.
B) she had conceived the fetus by engaging in voluntary sex.
C) it could be demonstrated conclusively that the fetus has become a human person.
D) All of the above

Question 6

In which of the following cases would you have a right to Henry Fonda's lifesaving assistance?

A) To save your life, he has to fly from the West Coast and spend a month at your bedside.
B) To save your life, he must give you one of his kidneys.
C) To save your life, he must walk across the room and place his cool hand on your fevered brow.
D) None of the above

Question 7

According to Thomson, the right to self-defense

A) allows us to do anything necessary to save our lives.
B) applies only in cases in which the threatening person is guilty.
C) does not exist.
D) None of the above

Question 8

Thomson argues that legal prohibitions against abortion require pregnant women to be

A) Good Samaritans.
B) Minimally Decent Samaritans.
C) Christians.
D) None of the above

Question 9

Thomson believes that one is obligated to grant another the use of one's body for survival when

A) no other options for that person's survival exist.
B) it only requires a slight inconvenience and poses minimum risk.
C) it only requires a slight inconvenience and poses no risk.
D) None of the above

Question 10

In which of the following rights does Thomson believe?

A) The right to secure the death of an unborn child
B) A woman's right to an abortion in all circumstances
C) A human being's right to life
D) None of the above

Question 11

Thomson believes that a fetus is a human person only after birth.

Question 12

Thomson claims that, to be consistent, those who oppose abortion on the grounds that the fetus is a person will oppose it even if the pregnancy lasts for the rest of the mother's life.

Question 13

According to Thomson, it is permissible to unhook yourself from the violinist if the alternative would be to remain bedridden for nine months.

Question 14

Even though the famous violinist in Thomson's example had no right to be attached to you in the first place, now that he has been, Thomson believes you have no right to kill him by pulling the plug.

Question 15

Thomson believes that all persons have a right to life.

Question 16

Thomson believes that any woman who voluntarily indulges in intercourse has given the fetus she conceives a right to use her body to sustain its existence.

Question 17

According to Thomson's view of rights, if it is the case that you really ought to share your box of chocolates with your brother, it follows that he has a right to some of the chocolates.

Question 18

Thomson believes that we are not required to act like the Good Samaritan in Jesus's parable.

Question 19

Thomson believes that abortion is always morally permissible.

Question 20

Thomson argues that, because a pregnant woman may permissibly kill her fetus in order to save her life, any capable third-party may permissibly accede to her request for an abortion.

Question 21

Do laws prohibiting abortion require pregnant women to act as Good Samaritans? Why or why not? What does Thomson say?

Question 22

Explain the purpose of Thomson's violinist example. Is it an effective way to present her defense of abortion? Why or why not?

Question 23

On what premise does most opposition to abortion rest, according to Thomson? What does Thomson think of this premise? What role does it play in her argument?

Question 24

Explain the different accounts of the right to life that Thomson discusses. Which does she ultimately decide is correct? Do you find her account plausible? Why or why not?