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Debate Info

41
34
for abortion against abortion
Debate Score:75
Arguments:54
Total Votes:77
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Argument Ratio

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 for abortion (29)
 
 against abortion (21)

Debate Creator

Talkitout(18) pic



Should abortion be legal?

Should abortion be legal before the first 22-25 weeks of pregnancy. Keep these points in mind: definition of life i.e. when does life begin, is pro-life a purely religious stance and therefore violating separation of church and state, for pro-lifers if you protect the rights of the child would you continue to fight for its rights if it were gay? Those are just a few common points I've seen brought up and thought I'd put them out there.

for abortion

Side Score: 41
VS.

against abortion

Side Score: 34
3 points

Often when elderly people fall into comas and reach a "vegetable state" where their heart continues to beat but they're brain does not function they are taken off life support. This is legal and not considered murder. How is this any different from aborting a fetus before its brain begins to function? Its heart may beat but it is not yet living, you would say it was dead if not for the fact that it has never lived.

Side: for abortion
Troy8(2433) Disputed
2 points

This isn't really a veracious comparison. A fetus has an entire lifetime ahead of it, while those you describe have no potential for future living. For me, this is not a valid argument.

Side: against abortion
Talkitout(18) Clarified
1 point

I am not suggesting that it is completely the same. Obviously it isn't. What I mean to point out is that living people who have already been born are considered dead when they're brain is dead, not when their heart is. Therefore the beginning of life in the womb cannot have begun until the brain has become active which science has shown to be around the 22-25 week if I'm not incorrect.

You are protecting the potential of life but right now I'm establishing if those against abortion can fully support the claim that life begins at conception.

Side: for abortion

This is quite an original debate .

Side: for abortion
2 points

Yes. Women have the right to choose. .

Side: for abortion
wardogninja(1789) Clarified
2 points

so you believe this is a women's rights issue and legalizing abortion would only serve to support equality for women.

Side: for abortion
Sitara(11080) Clarified
1 point

I do not support a free for all, but I do not support an all out ban on abortion. If Mom is at risk for trauma and the baby is to young to survive, or the baby will die anyway, I would support the abortion.

Side: for abortion
2 points

Abortion should be legal with consent form from the clinic, parents and the legislative council. For example, say there was a young girl, or any girl at all who was raped and impregnated with her attacker's fetus. This female should not be forced to carry a reminder of the crime that was committed against her. I am in no way saying that because the fetus was conceived in rape, that it's life holds any less value than a child that was conceived with intention by both consenting parties, but to birth a child is a huge decision that will most likely change the mother's life and identity greatly. Morality is obviously a huge factor in this law, but we have to take the mother's life into consideration.

It is easy to say that if the mother and father are old enough and educated enough to perform the act of sexual intercourse, then the mother is old and educated enough to carry the baby full term with the support (emotional and financial) of the father. What if the sexual education that they received isn't sufficient beyond the basic knowledge of how to perform the act? What if they weren't aware of the dangers of unprotected sex and the possible consequences that come with it? If a sexually transmitted disease such as AIDS which could be passed down to the baby is an issue for the mother, then would it not be best for the fetus to be aborted early in the pregnancy if they had a high chance of leading a lifestyle where they are hindered by AIDS or are HIV positive?

My final point is that of insufficient means to carry the baby full term. If an anti-abortion law is to be passed, then surely the government should also provide for the mother during the 9 months in which she has to carry the baby if she is financially incapable of doing so herself. Someone who isn't able to provide for one person, surely can't be expected to support themselves and a fetus financially. With the cost of the medical checkups, additional medication and frequent ultrasounds alongside a hefty amount of extra food, it is unreasonable to assume that every mother or couple is able to support the baby financially, especially single mothers who are unable to find work.

In conclusion, I believe that abortion should be legal in the first 6 weeks of the pregnancy, before the fetus's heart starts to beat, and with consent from a representative of the legislative council in the area, the clinic and parent(s)/guardian(s) if under the age of 18.

Side: for abortion

Of course, only abort if necessary. Countries with a quickly growing population but only have a small territory should really consider this, if all else fails, such as trying to expand, etc. Couples should make sure that they only have enough children to provide for, so there won't be any poverty or famine in the place.

Side: for abortion

Often when elderly people fall into comas and reach a "vegetable state" where their heart continues to beat but they're brain does not function they are taken off life support. This is legal and not considered murder. How is this any different from aborting a fetus before its brain begins to function? Its heart may beat but it is not yet living, you would say it was dead if not for the fact that it has never lived.

Side: for abortion

If someone is a strict constructionist who interprets the Constitution word for word, the sanction for abortion is given under the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Fourteenth Amendment of our U.S. Constitution defines a citizen “a citizen” at birth. If a woman is carrying a fetus in the womb, the U.S. Constitution does not designate the fetus as “a citizen.” It would take an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to declare a fetus a citizen. You have to be born in order to be recognized as a citizen. Therefore, a woman does have the right to choose. A fetus inside the womb is not designated as a citizen according to the U.S. Constitution so by default is not entitled to life, liberty, or prosperity. You have to be born in order to be endowed with those privileges. To conclude, neither the Federal government nor any of the States can deny a woman the right to choose.

If abortion is murder, abortion would have been terminated years ago due to the cruel and unusual punishment clause under the Eighth Amendment. Again, proof that a fetus is not recognized as a citizen of the United States of America.

Side: for abortion
3 points

Murder isn't legal so why is abortion? Your still taking a human life in the end. No, it shouldn't be legal.

As said before, this is indeed a original debate.

Side: against abortion
Talkitout(18) Disputed
2 points

If we can agree that life has not begun until week 22-25 when the brain becomes active then it is not the taking of a human life, it is the taking of a potential life. Is it murder every time a woman has a period and loses an egg? Or every time a man ejaculates? If it is not living yet it is not murder.

Side: for abortion
3 points

No no no, life begins the second the baby is conceived, that is just fact. The "life" that starts at 22-25 weeks is not a biological term, it a political term. Biologically, the baby is alive. Politically, it doesn't have rights because the smart voters of our great nation have a problem with understanding that small things can be alive to.

Side: against abortion
Physician(15) Disputed
1 point

Politically, he/she is not because he/she doesn't have limits (Limits on action), responsibilities (The fetus does not take care of something, and holds accountability for that/or is not responsible for any happenings), and legal liability (He/She is not legally bound and obliged to pay debts). HOWEVER, that's not the reason why I'm for abortion.

Biologically, the fetus is alive. Life is the existence of an organism. It is also unlawful, therefore murder. However, how is it suppose to consent to it? Remember that it can not feel; the body and its functions are simply under development; It's not all that you're murdering, but rather simply ending the process.

Side: for abortion
libertyFTW(213) Disputed
1 point

Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being, abortion is legal therefore lawful so it doesn't count as murder.

Side: for abortion
DevinSeay(1120) Disputed
1 point

You didn't get my argument. I said the murder is illegal, why is abortion legal. In others words, I'm saying both acts takes a human life for no cause.

Side: against abortion
3 points

I really don't see the point in legalizing abortion. It's cheaper to kill a child than to adopt. Seems a bit counter-intuitive to the survival of the species to me.

EDIT: If it wasn't clear, I'm more in favor of adoption and, perhaps, a bit more 'keeping it in your pants', or at least use protection.

Side: against abortion
Talkitout(18) Disputed
1 point

Adoption is a completely viable option but that's not what up for debate. Abortion is, and just because there's another choice doesn't mean we should take away the right of the mother to choose unless there is logical factual evidence against it.

No one wants an abortion. It's not an easy decision or a happy one but do we force men to marry women they impregnate? Do we force them to deal with the mother for 9 months and care for her and make sure she and the baby do well? No because men don't have to keep it in their pants. They can get a girl pregnant and hit the road. Women aren't getting pregnant on purpose and then getting abortions, they're in bad situations and it's a last resort in most cases. Sometimes even a result of being raped or from incest.

Side: for abortion
lupusFati(790) Clarified
1 point

If no one wants an abortion then why do so many people seem to be for just that very thing? As for the pregnancy it's not just the fault of the man, you know. For the sake of that last sentence, I'm using the norm, not exceptions such as rape etc. Women can be just as much at fault since, you know, both parties consented. And not every man is going to 'hit the road' due to a pregnant woman, either.

There are fathers who would want to keep the child even when the mother wants to abort it. What about their rights? The child is, biologically, half theirs.

As for the concept of rights and such logical fallacies as 'good' and 'evil', that's another debate entirely.

Side: for abortion
2 points

When Abortion was legalized in 1970, people thought that it will reduce crime rate as Less unwanted kids = Less poverty+abuse = Less criminals

20 years after, they found out that they were right, crime rate has reduced by about 50%. But upon closer study, they found out that though crime was reduced, its intensity steeped from simple petty thieves to unsightly thugs.

For we now define human life as something disposable, the amount of murder rates increased dramatically, together with underage sexual relationships and children born out of wedlock. This rotten lifestyle has propagated criminals that becomes younger and younger for every generation.

More reading

More reading

More reading

Legalized abortion is a gift for individuals who cannot face their foolishness. But it is a poison for the society who's morality are slowly decaying

Side: against abortion
Talkitout(18) Disputed
2 points

I am not currently arguing about crime rates. I am arguing when life begins in the womb and further if the potential of life deserves the right of the already living. I believe life begins around the 22nd week (refer to vegetative state argument) and that potential life deserves no rights.

And btw I'm pro abortion and have never had sex and am not a criminal. I simply believe in science and I defend it. I doubt murder has any correlation to abortion laws. The only crime that should be looked at in correlation to abortion laws is the amount of illegal abortions preformed. You know, the ones done with coat wires. Those have decreased dramatically and have saved many actual lives. The already born ones with brain activity I mean.

Side: for abortion
Centifolia(1319) Disputed
2 points

The question was "Should Abortion be Legal" not the morality of abortion.

I voted "against: simply because it causes more harm than good

Side: against abortion
2 points

True equallity is giving both the woman and the Baby the right to life. If you was aborted, you would hate it.

Side: against abortion
Talkitout(18) Disputed
2 points

Right now I'm talking about whether or not the child is alive before it's brain is formed enough to be active. Refer to my vegetative state argument before you argue. No one pro-life has addressed this argument so far with logical and/or scientific support.

If the baby isn't living yet it has no rights. Including the right to life.

If I was aborted I wouldn't give a s* because I wouldn't exist. I'm trying to make this a logical, scientific debate which pro-lifers seem to be struggling with.

Side: for abortion
izazovnog(322) Disputed
1 point

Are you a theist, or an atheist? I will not respond untill you answer. If you are a thesist, what are your beleifs?

Side: against abortion

I believe that there are times when abortion can be considered as a justified option (rape, incest, or threat of the mothers life). But aside from those situations i am against abortion. I have a friend who was comforting a friend of hers who had just found out she had gotten an STD. My friend told her that it could have been more serious such as getting pregnant, but her friend retorted that pregnancy are easier to get rid of. I think that is a scary mindset of have. To treat abortions like common occurrences. No matter what situation it occurs in, an abortion is a tragic occurrence. It should not be used as plan B for people who made bad choices. We can argue forever about what moment life begins, but lets be honest, we all know what that zygote is going to turn into. a kid. You are stopping the natural process of life.

And as for doing it in the name of women's rights, have you ever heard of sex selective abortions. That is when a baby is aborted solely because it is a female and the parents want a boy. Aside from the obivous civil issues with that, in countries where this has become more mainstream, there is a huge imbalance between the genders with is not a good sign for the future generations.

Side: against abortion
Talkitout(18) Disputed
2 points

Pro-choice people like myself do not like abortions. Please don't be confused. They are not a thing to be taken lightly. Yet they should not be illegal. And it's not just people who make bad choices, condoms fail, birth control fails. And I argue so strongly when life begins because it's the difference between murder and pulling out some stem cells from an unwilling incubator. I'll stop the natural process of life all I want because in the end if no one is harmed (not the mother, and there's no child to e harmed) then there is no immoral wrongdoing. Every egg in me could turn into a kid and that zygote could turn into a kid. They all could but in the end the mother can choose to use birth control to stop an egg from living and she can choose to use abortion to stop the zygote from living. You're protecting someone who isn't even alive yet over the interests of the mother who is. And why? Because all women who wan abortions are white trash idiots who get 10 a year and just don't like condoms? I don't know what you imagine these women to be like but they are perfectly normal smart women in many cases who just happen to have either made a bad decision or their protection failed. If you've never made a bad decision go ahead and judge but otherwise keep it to science.

As for sex selective abortions that is a WHOLE other argument. Personally that sounds completely wrong and abuse of the surgery but if it's before the 22nd week it's not murder. There's also DNA designers who can adjust the DNA of the baby to be whatever you like, gender, eye color, hair color, etc. This is bad too but the technology could also be used to prevent Down syndrome and other debilitations that many struggle their whole life with. Most things are good but people will find a way to abuse them anyway, it's how humans work. And in countries like china they would kill their baby if it turned out to be the wrong gender because of the one baby rule. In the womb or out it's horrible but at least it's painless in the womb. And if countries have a problem with an unbalanced gender population and have trouble keeping the population up that might not be so bad seeing as the world is overcrowded and reaching carrying capacity anyhow. In the end the populations will balance theirselves out to survive but if reproduction decreases for a few decades it's not the worst thing in the world

Side: for abortion

I am against abortion because I respect life, particularly human life deeply and out of compassion not because I believe a 2000-3500 year old book to be the word of God.

Pro-life is not neccesarily motivated by religion it can just be from ethics.

Side: against abortion
1 point

Babies are viable by 20 weeks, so Roe V. Wade is completely inhumane anyway. Also, most abortions are not due to medical necessity, they're most often due to selfishness, and the unwillingness to carry and allow the baby to be adopted.

Side: against abortion