Deck 10: Christopher Tollefsen and Nathan Nobis, “Abortion”

Question 1

In footnote three of Nathan Nobis's essay, Nobis responds to the concern that men should not offer arguments on the abortion debate. He says:
Someone's sex (or gender) doesn't influence their ability to give good arguments on issues that, in many ways, mostly affect people who are importantly different from them. Women can have insights and good arguments about issues that uniquely affect men, and vice-versa. … Women are not infallible on these topics, and neither are men. The goal for everyone is to carefully and critically evaluate any claims and arguments, whatever and whoever their source.
In your essay, consider the question, "What influences a person's ability to give good arguments on a certain issue?" To do this, try to come up with an example from beyond the abortion debate that responds to the line of reasoning that Nobis presents here. In other words, can you think of a case where people might think that only those uniquely affected by an issue are able to craft good arguments about it? Why should others agree? Does this example complicate Nobis' position on men's ability to give arguments in the abortion debate, or are the cases dissimilar enough that his point stands?

Answer 1

Offer an explanation of the influences that determine whether or not one is able to give good arguments on an ethical issue, focusing on whether or not that person's personal connection to that issue is of relevance
Offer an example of a case where people might think that only those uniquely affected by the issue are able to craft good arguments on the subject
Relate the example to Nobis' position on men's ability to offer good arguments on the abortion debate

Question 2

In his reply, Christopher Tollefsen discusses what he takes to be the similarity between human fetuses and us. He affirms:
…there is a way in which human fetuses are vastly more like us than any other creature of whose existence we are directly aware. Human fetuses - if they do not die, or are not otherwise impaired - will grow and develop naturally to the point of being able to exercise exactly the characteristics that impress Nobis (and me) so much. No other being of whose existence we are directly aware will ever do that
In your essay, consider, "What traits make something like us?" What do you think is morally relevant in determining whether or not something is like a human person? Does your account challenge Tollefsen's defense of human fetuses being similar to us?

Answer 2

Offer a description or a list of those traits that make some creature similar to a human person in morally relevant ways
Consider whether this list presents challenges for affirming Tollefsen's assertion that human fetuses "are vastly more like us than any other creature of whose existence we are directly aware"

Question 3

In their replies, Nathan Nobis and Christopher Tollefsen both offer competing accounts of what grounds human rights. In your essay, explain the authors' disagreement, drawing from both of their accounts. Then, briefly describe the extent to which you take the human rights issue to be an important one in the abortion debate. In other words, how much rides on whether human fetuses have rights? Can abortion be justified even if they do?

Answer 3

Provide textual support for each author's claim on what constitutes the foundation of human rights
Then, the essay will either:
Provide a plausible argument for the importance of protecting human fetuses rights if they have them; or
Provide a plausible argument against the importance of protecting human fetuses rights if they have them

Question 4

In his essay, Tollefsen presents a moral argument that proceeds in three steps. Which of the following is NOT one of those steps?

A) Abortion, understood either as direct killing or unjust detaching, is always wrong
B) You and I are human beings, and thus we began as one-celled human organisms
C) We are animal organisms, and mother and child share a real and personal relationship
D) All human beings possess fundamental rights against being attacked, damaged, or destroyed intentionally

Question 5

In his essay, Tollefsen claims that dualism is misguided because it fails to recognize what?

A) Humans are capable of both good and evil acts
B) Humans are both minded beings and physical organisms
C) People are human organisms from the time that they are embryos
D) Humans possess both natural rights and fundamental dignity

Question 6

In his essay, Tollefsen makes a number of claims. Which of the following is NOT one of his claims?

A) Unchosen biological relations do not matter morally
B) It is wrong to intend the death of any human being
C) Abortion isn't merely a private matter
D) Human organisms begin at fertilization

Question 7

In his essay, Nobis defends a number of claims. Which of the following is NOT one of those claims?

A) Late-term abortions are morally wrong
B) Early abortions are not wrong
C) Probably all abortions should be legal
D) Early fetuses aren't made worse off by death

Question 8

In his essay, Nobis gives examples of a number of question-begging arguments on abortion. Identify an example of a question-begging argument.

A) Abortion is not wrong because abortion is a personal choice
B) Fetuses have valuable futures; they lose those valuable futures when aborted
C) The Bible says that abortion is wrong
D) Fetuses do not have the right to their mother's bodies, even if they have the right to life

Question 9

In his essay, Nobis outlines positive defenses of abortion founded on three areas of concern. Which of the following is NOT one of those areas?

A) Personhood
B) Consciousness
C) Harm
D) Human rights

Question 10

In his reply, Tollefsen affirms that what is the appropriate grounding property for basic rights?

A) Having a rational nature
B) Exhibiting personal characteristics
C) Being made of human DNA
D) Being capable of being harmed

Question 11

In his reply, Nobis affirms that what is the appropriate grounding property for basic rights?

A) Having a rational nature
B) Exhibiting personal characteristics
C) Being made of human DNA
D) Being capable of being harmed

Question 12

Both authors agree that the claim "fetuses are biologically human" is of little moral relevance when determining the ethical status of abortion.

Question 13

Which author adopts the following definition of abortion: "An abortion is the intentional killing of an embryo or fetus to end a pregnancy?"

A) Chris Tollefsen
B) Nathan Nobis