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42
48
Yes. No.
Debate Score:90
Arguments:68
Total Votes:123
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 Yes. (31)
 
 No. (34)

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Sitar(3680) pic



Can libertarians be prolife

I say yes. There is a group called Libertarians For Life that proves this.

Yes.

Side Score: 42
VS.

No.

Side Score: 48

Of course they can, but it's not quite that simple.

Those who are stating that pro-life is not a libertarian position are correct; the overall libertarian ideology is not generally compatible with the desire for a government-enforced ban on abortion, amongst other things that might be banned.

That said, they are also missing the trees for the forest. Individual libertarians can certainly be pro-life. At the individual level, unilateral agreement with the entirety of ones parties platform is hardly ubiquitous, regardless of the party you look at. Many people disagree with their party on at least one issue.

To state otherwise is ridiculous; it's akin to stating that a gay person cannot be conservative because conservatives are anti-gay. And yet, there is a small minority of gay conservatives, who generally agree with the right on most issues, with the exception of gay rights.

Not even just that- there is enough general dissent from the positions that each party holds that you'd be hard-pressed to find an example of most political parties, were disagreement with (or at least exceptions to) even a single point reasonable criteria for exclusion.

The following statements are both true:

Libertarianism is generally incompatible with a pro-life standpoint.

Individual libertarians, nonetheless, may well be pro-life.

You may consider a pro-life libertarian to be a hypocrite, and it is your right to do so- but understand that there is a lot of emotion tied into politics. What you see as a logical inconsistency is not the result of a logical process, but an emotional one.

Side: Yes.
1 point

Thank you. I am a libertarian prolifer. Your logic is refressing. Thank you for responding.

Side: Yes.
1 point

Thank you. I am a libertarian prolifer. Your logic is refressing. Thank you for responding.

Side: Yes.
GenericName(3430) Clarified
1 point

Theoretically I agree, but I fail to see how the desire to put Pro-Life politics into law can be compatible with the most basic principles of libertarian ideology.

Side: Yes.
thousandin1(1931) Clarified
1 point

I should clarify here that this is not my personal position and I am pro-choice politically.

That said- if your personal ideology considers a fertilized egg to be of the same status as a born person with rights, then putting pro-life politics into law is no different from putting a ban on murder into law. Surely you don't believe that Libertarians favor legalizing murder?

That premise is all it takes to make it compatible. It all boils down to the fact that you're working from different premises. Well, that and you're trying to look at an emotional issue rationally, which only works if everybody agrees to that AND is actually capable of such.

Side: Yes.
4 points

The term libertarians indicated persons not particularly an ideology, The ideology is created in absolute form, but as a human being, we're all take a stand in the middle ground, using the current ideology as a compass to guide us in life and keep improving and changing on the adventure of our life. Therefore I would claim that libertarians can be pro-life.

Side: Yes.
2 points

A libertarian is someone who adheres to the political ideology of libertarianism, which is by no means a middle ground ideology.

Side: No.
2 points

If they considered a fetus to be a person then I guess a libertarian could say that abortion violates the non-aggression principle.

However, it could also be argued that the fetus is violating the non-aggression principle by absorbing nutrients from the mother's body without her consent. This situation is similar to someone stealing your electricity to power their life support. Would a libertarian not say that the government should provide police to stop a person stealing your electricity? Oh snap, now I have reasoned my way into postulating that libertarian ideology demands government provided abortion.

Conclusion: You can be pro-life or pro-choice as a libertarian. It's all up to interpretation and opinion.

Side: Yes.
1 point
Side: Yes.

It depends, is it their personal belief or do they think it should be applied to law.

Side: Yes.
1 point

Libertarianism as I understand it supports the view that a society based on freedom and equality can be achieved through abolishing authoritarian institutions that subordinate the majority to an owning class or political and economic elite.

To my mind any philosophy that supports social freedoms would mean they are pro-choice.

Side: No.
Sitar(3680) Disputed
2 points

No true Scotsman fallacy. Anyone can be prolife. I am newly libertarian, and I am prolife. I have included a link to a site that proves that libertarians can be prolife. The link: http://www.lp.org/

Side: Yes.
DKCairns(868) Disputed
1 point

I disagree that the site you provided supports Libertarian pro-life.

All it shows is a jaundiced viewpoint that tries to negate they are pro choice when in fact pro-choice is one of the cornerstones and fundamental philosophy of the existence of Libertarian Socialism.

Side: No.

I believe Libertarians are believers in equal rights and a full expansion of rights. I think being pro-life would seem to go against it.

Side: No.
Sitar(3680) Disputed
1 point

I disagree. I am a libertarian prolifer. .

Side: Yes.
2 points

Doesn't that conflict you in some way? If you are a Libertarian then I would assume you are in support for a person's right to their own body? Wouldn't that conflict with you being pro-life?

Side: No.
Cuaroc(8829) Disputed
1 point

the fact that your are prolife means you are not libertarian. Watch, you're going to incorrectly invoke the No scotsman fallacy again

Side: No.