Atheists & Abortion

[eleos1954]

Would like to hear from atheists on the what is/are their stance(s) are on abortion and the reasoning of their stance(s). Not intended to be a debate, just interested in the viewpoints.

 

[CodyFaith]

Edit - decided to retract, sorry.

 

[shadow2]

Sure. I think abortion is sometimes morally acceptable, other times not. During the first trimester of pregnancy I think it is virtually always acceptable. In the second trimester I think it is only acceptable if there is a health risk, a major deformation in the fetus, or in the case of conception by rape - I would argue that a woman should get an abortion as soon as she knows she is pregnant if she does not want to carry the child. In the third trimester I think abortion is usually wrong (unless there is an extenuating and major health risk to the mother), since the child could likely exist outside the mother's womb at that point. A c-section would be a better option.

I do believe that no woman would really want to harm her child, so I have little issue with deferring to the judgement of a mother to decide when she should like to bring a life into the world.

Also do keep in mind that I do not speak for all atheists at all, everyone has their own views on this issue and our views are of course influenced by our culture and society.

 

[eleos1954]

Sure. I think abortion is sometimes morally acceptable, other times not. During the first trimester of pregnancy I think it is virtually always acceptable. In the second trimester I think it is only acceptable if there is a health risk, a major deformation in the fetus, or in the case of conception by rape - I would argue that a woman should get an abortion as soon as she knows she is pregnant if she does not want to carry the child. In the third trimester I think abortion is usually wrong (unless there is an extenuating and major health risk to the mother), since the child could likely exist outside the mother's womb at that point. A c-section would be a better option.

I do believe that no woman would really want to harm her child, so I have little issue with deferring to the judgement of a mother to decide when she should like to bring a life into the world.

Also do keep in mind that I do not speak for all atheists at all, everyone has their own views on this issue and our views are of course influenced by our culture and society.

Thank you for your response.

 

[PreviouslySeeking...]

Well, not an atheist but close enough.

Abortion is a medical procedure that is acceptable as long as it is medically ethical. I do not approach it as a moral issue if the fetus isn't viable. If the fetus is viable, the needs of the woman carrying the fetus still come first.

To be clear, I have no issue with any abortion a woman wishes to have as long as her doctor believes it to be medically appropriate.

My reasoning? Pragmatism. Bodily autonomy.

 

[PreviouslySeeking...]

Well, not an atheist but close enough.

Abortion is a medical procedure that is acceptable as long as it is medically ethical. I do not approach it as a moral issue if the fetus isn't viable. If the fetus is viable, the needs of the woman carrying the fetus still come first.

To be clear, I have no issue with any abortion a woman wishes to have as long as her doctor believes it to be medically appropriate.

My reasoning? Pragmatism. Bodily autonomy.

 

[Desk trauma]

Would like to hear from atheists on the what is/are their stance(s) are on abortion and the reasoning of their stance(s). Not intended to be a debate, just interested in the viewpoints.

My stance is based on bodily autonomy/property rights. The state is not the owner of a woman’s body, she is. As the fetus (no, I will not even respond to semantic quibbles on terminology) is dependent on the body of the woman her rights win out. This is less than ideal for all concerned but biology leaves us inequality that we cannot currently change.

 

[jayem]

I'm less pro-choice than I am anti-criminalization. I can understand that terminating a pregnancy for less than medical reasons (either maternal or fetal. Or if the pregnancy resulted from a sexual assault) can be seen as morally suspect. But using the police power of the state to criminalize it at all stages of pregnancy is simply a worse evil. It's just way too authoritarian.

For legal purposes, I support a 24 week threshold. Up to 24 weeks of gestational age, abortion should be left as a private medical decision between doctor and patient. After 24 weeks, the state can limit abortion to maternal or fetal health reasons.

 

[frankieberg1985]

I think it`s murder any way, when you have intimate relation and you know ... then it`s a life already and you shouldn`t end it

 

[holo]

I am principally opposed to abortion because I've yet to see solid arguments for when the fetus becomes a person. It's obviously hard to see a cluster of a few cells as a person, but we can't make important moral decisions on whether or not it "feels like" a human being. Either it is, or it isn't.

 

[frankieberg1985]

I am principally opposed to abortion because I've yet to see solid arguments for when the fetus becomes a person. It's obviously hard to see a cluster of a few cells as a person, but we can't make important moral decisions on whether or not it "feels like" a human being. Either it is, or it isn't.

Mhm, but after the intimate relation you have already started it, that`s what I meant