Non-Christian thought is full of logical inconsistencies. Here's just another example. Non-Christian thought usually champions these two values:
- Absolute personal autonomy
- Scientism
But these values come into conflict in two of the most controversial medical ethical issues of our time: vaccines and abortion.
Those who support "reproductive rights" will wave the flag of absolute personal autonomy. "My body, my choice." "Keep your laws off my ovaries." Etc. The most persuasive argument for the moral permissibility of abortion is widely regarded to be Judith Jarvis Thomson's argument. In her argument, the personhood of the fetus is absolutely irrelevant. What is relevant is whether the mother has a moral obligation to donate her body to the fetus for nine months. She argues that the mother has no such obligation, so abortion is morally permissible.
Arguing that the fetus
is not a morally significant agent with rights has been shown to be a philosophical dead end. And so this line has been abandoned in favor of Thomson's line of argumentation. Note the reliance on the value of absolute personal autonomy.
But the same people will not apply this logic to issues surrounding something like vaccination. Recently New York City has ordered mandatory vaccinations for some. Here the flag of scientism is waved. "Vaccines are effective." "The science is with vaccines." "Non-vaxers are conspiracy theorists." Etc. If a non-vaxer were to wave the absolute personal autonomy flag here it would not be allowed to fly. "My body, my choice" would not be acceptable to the people who push vaccines. But these are usually the same people who wave this flag in favor of abortion rights.
You might say: But in the case of vaccines, it's not just
your body that is at stake. By not getting vaccinated you are also endangering others.
Okay. I would argue that the same is true - in fact more true - in cases of abortion. It's not just the woman's body at stake, but also the fetus whose life she is ending when she gets an abortion.
So you can't have your cake and eat it too. Either embrace absolute personal autonomy or scientism, but you cannot have both because of the contradictions that ensue.