Pro or Con: Abortion

[RyanO]

Outlawing abortion would cause a number of problems for society. It would create an increase in unsafe back alley abortions. In addition, crime rates would increase because unwanted children are much more likely to become criminals. The foster care system is overwhelmed as it is, criminalizing abortion would only make things worse.

Peronally, if I got a girl pregnant I wouldn't want her to get an abortion (but the final choice would be up to her, obviously), but I think there are a lot of situations where aborting the pregnancy is an option to consider. Many people are ill equipped to raise a child, be it from lack of responsibility, dire poverty, etc.

In my opinion, those who are able tp responsibly raise a child should carry through with the pregnancy. Since there is no way to legislate a system to fairly determine who is qualified for parenthood, the government should stay out of it.

So, I guess I'm pro choice, but I'd like people to choose life if reasonably possible.

EDIT*

It should be noted that I think most people shouldn't reproduce. I don't think the planet can reasonably sustain it's current population, much less it's rate of expansion. Ironically, the people that are least able to raise their children end up having the most children.

 

[Chapuunka]

Back with the OT, I guess I agree that it shouldn't be 100% illegal, or at least not with society as it is. I think the better thing to do is to avoid un-planned pregnancies, be it rape or otherwise. If possible, I do agree though that you should go through with it.

 

[4Chan]

I'm quite surprised that noone has asked: "How is babby formed?"

 

[kprox1994]

I'm quite surprised that noone has asked: "How is babby formed?"

The stork!

 

[Dene]

It's silly to consider a fetus a person before it has consciousness

Deary me qq, be careful with that one. I've seen relatively convincing arguments that consciousness doesn't come around until possibly even the time that language starts developing.

 

[qqwref]

But I think babies go farther than that; they don't just adapt, they learn. I don't really know much about this, having never had a baby, but that's a small observation.

Some of the more intelligent primates (chimpanzees for instance) are about as intelligent as a five-year-old child. Non-human primates have been shown to have excellent memory, to understand and use numbers (abstractions!), and to be able to communicate in sign language. If you believe human infants have a soul and nonhuman primates don't, your definition clearly has nothing to do with intelligence, learning, or consciousness.

Of course it is possible to breed natural leaders; it's called monarchy. But can they relate to the common people? The oppressed will always be stimulated enough to rebel.

Actually, monarchy tended to be pretty terrible leaders, since they usually lived in splendor and thus had absolutely no idea how common people lived, and because of tradition that dictated that the best available person related to the previous ruler would rule the country. This led to a lot of inbreeding, and several spectacularly bad (and sometimes even completely insane) kings/emperors have existed throughout history. The same problems occur in the nobility but to a lesser extent.

Personally, I don't think leaders need to oppress their people. I guess the problem with monarchical systems was that there was no external check-and-balance - the monarch was allowed to pretty much do whatever they wanted, and they generally only lost power when they died or ruled so terribly that they ended up overthrown. An ideal society would probably be governed either by elected officials or by a relatively large group of intelligent people who were chosen for their desire to help out society itself. When I talked about natural leaders I meant basically having the intelligence to fully understand economics/diplomacy/politics, and traits like physical fitness and lack of aggression that would make them a good candidate for elected positions. It's true that a lot of that can be taught, but natural talent is always a useful bonus.

It's silly to consider a fetus a person before it has consciousness

Deary me qq, be careful with that one. I've seen relatively convincing arguments that consciousness doesn't come around until possibly even the time that language starts developing.

Really? I guess it depends somewhat on standards. I'm more or less talking about the ability to simply make decisions and process information at a level higher than pure reflexes. I do think consciousness is what separates a clump of cells from an organism that is valuable in its own right, but my definition of consciousness isn't meant to be very restrictive at all.

 

[BrunoAD]

This really is labeled wrong. We all have a choice!
Pro Life also, they simply choose to keep their child alive, instead of killing it.
Are you not glad you get to play with your cube, because your parents chose to let you live?

 

[dunpeal2064]

This really is labeled wrong. We all have a choice!
Pro Life also, they simply choose to keep their child alive, instead of killing it.
Are you not glad you get to play with your cube, because your parents chose to let you live?

Asking someone "aren't you glad to be alive" as proof of arguement means nothing. I mean, you could say that Hitler's mom should've had an abortion as a counter-arguement. lol.

 

[Kirjava]

I've read some silly things in this thread.

As for the actual debate, my stance depends on the situation, so putting myself in one camp entirely is incorrect.

People will say this makes me pro choice, but I disagree.

 

[Dene]

Are you not glad you get to play with your cube, because your parents chose to let you live?

No. Cubing is something that I use to distract me from the insane boredom that I have from this life that I wish I was not given.

 

[iasimp1997]

Are you not glad you get to play with your cube, because your parents chose to let you live?

No. Cubing is something that I use to distract me from the insane boredom that I have from this life that I wish I was not given.

lolemo

 

[Brett]

It should be a state issue either way.

And pro-life.

 

[Tortin]

So is anyone going to comment on the new legislation anti-abortion legislation in Oklahoma and a bunch of other states?