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That's an interesting variation with some legitimacy, though not compelling, to me anyway Isaac Send a noteboard - 23/08/2012 07:25:50 AM
I do tend to hold to those two absolutes but I add a layer, so I'm open to adding another. My normal is:

1) Is a fetus a human? Modifier: at what point is this the case?
2) If human, is there a reasonable duration and degree of risk/burden to which a person - as the sole person able to do so - can be expected to endure to preserve another's life?

So your point, re: consequences, would I think factor in on #2. My issue is that #2 is essentially the 'burden' aspect. The continuing problem is that the burdens are mostly psychological - all too real - but still in the mind. A degree of harm sufficient to tip the scales is also, I'd think, almost by definition sufficient to rightly declare that person not of sound mind where the decision is being made. Where a significant physical risk is involved, we enter the realm of triage anyway, so only in the case of a relatively normal pregnancy does the psychological damage come into play.

Yet to utilize this argument someone must first acknowledge that a fetus is a human, or is very probably so, or it's an irrelevant point. At this, we now have a human life who will have their fate decided by a person who's justification is not without merit but is also the book definition of why we do not let individuals end others lives without a reasonable threat of imminent danger to themselves or others that isn't present here.

If #1 is "No" then the reason given for an abortion is irrelevant. If Yes then it's a human, and a case has to be made for ending their life. Placing that decision in the hands strictly of someone who's case is that the pregnancy itself is traumatic to them violates the very core of our legal and ethical system. We can certainly say, of someone who took personal steps to end the pregnancy, that there were mitigating circumstances, none would deny it is traumatic, but that same logic cuts counter to the idea that they can make the decision and others may follow it. I can kill someone in a rage or in a state of insanity, temporary or not, and receive a lower punishment then a premeditated act committed in a reasonable sound frame of mind. I can't kill someone who someone not of sound mind has dragged before me claiming is a murderer or rapist or what have you. Their emotional state doesn't excuse me doing it. So the case for a tangible difference would seem to boil down to the idea that we wouldn't prosecute a rape victim for premeditated murder trying to end - successfully or not - a pregnancy. Not because the abortion was just or okay, but because they might be deemed temporarily insane. But again, this whole line of reasoning seriously damages their standing as a legitimate decision maker and only functions in the context of an assumption of personhood anyway. Thus it pretty much eliminates them using a doctor for the process, as they certainly are under no obligation, nor legal or ethical protection, to end another's life at the behest of someone else who can't be said to have that person's best interests in mind and be particularly raitonal themselves... and if they are rational, then I have difficulty seeing the case for severe emotional trauma sufficient to justify the death as self-defense.

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein

King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
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Rape - British left wing politician takes on American right wing politician in stupidest comment off - 22/08/2012 11:03:50 PM 1081 Views
Galloway - I'll always remember him for being a Cat to be honest. - 22/08/2012 11:14:58 PM 650 Views
Erm... what on earth is that? - 22/08/2012 11:19:13 PM 470 Views
Celebrity Big Brother in the UK - 22/08/2012 11:22:17 PM 514 Views
People who support abortion only for rape are the most retarded in the whole debate - 23/08/2012 01:05:17 AM 618 Views
Bullshit - 23/08/2012 05:01:24 AM 522 Views
That's an interesting variation with some legitimacy, though not compelling, to me anyway - 23/08/2012 07:25:50 AM 546 Views
That is a dangerous line of logic. - 23/08/2012 09:26:25 PM 787 Views
Okay, that really wasn't connected to my comments - 24/08/2012 02:39:21 AM 479 Views
Sure it was, but we can do it your way. - 24/08/2012 04:10:37 AM 546 Views
Yet you don't, you jump the gun here too - 24/08/2012 04:37:02 AM 557 Views
I was trying to cut to the chase; like I say, I followed your logic: I just disliked where it led. - 24/08/2012 06:10:40 AM 637 Views
Disliking the conclusion doesn't invalidate the logic, and stop veering out of the debate boundary - 24/08/2012 06:43:43 AM 590 Views
No, the logics invalidity does that, though you do not seem to like its conclusion either. - 24/08/2012 07:48:21 AM 761 Views
I'm not even sure what that means - 25/08/2012 12:38:56 AM 484 Views
The logic is invalid because invalid, however either of us feels about where it leads. - 25/08/2012 10:37:34 PM 556 Views
Okay, we're done here - 26/08/2012 05:36:28 AM 518 Views
Quotes are not my opinion. - 26/08/2012 06:37:19 AM 491 Views
You'd really benefit from post-secondary education. - 26/08/2012 12:14:02 PM 584 Views
Haven't you and Joel had about the same amount of post-secondary education, actually? - 27/08/2012 01:31:43 AM 613 Views
T^T - 27/08/2012 04:39:33 AM 539 Views
Is that the emoticon for perky titties? *NM* - 27/08/2012 11:07:06 PM 260 Views
He is an absolute berk. *NM* - 23/08/2012 01:08:58 AM 465 Views
To be honest, I think people MIGHT be overreacting to both comments. - 23/08/2012 01:33:54 AM 606 Views
Really? *NM* - 23/08/2012 06:33:46 AM 340 Views
Yeah. - 23/08/2012 06:40:05 AM 548 Views
I expect it is more of a "stating the obvious" response. - 23/08/2012 02:01:18 PM 541 Views
Heh, I didn't think so. - 23/08/2012 05:44:55 PM 588 Views
I said Akins comments needed MORE context. - 23/08/2012 08:50:09 PM 678 Views
Yes, I saw that. - 23/08/2012 10:28:50 PM 494 Views
Re: Yes, I saw that. - 23/08/2012 11:04:40 PM 523 Views
Re: Yes, I saw that. - 23/08/2012 11:08:46 PM 498 Views
Science sometimes produces shocking discoveries. - 23/08/2012 11:28:47 PM 528 Views
And sometimes one doctor with an agenda pulls "facts" out of the air - 23/08/2012 11:37:37 PM 569 Views
No argument there. - 23/08/2012 11:46:01 PM 555 Views
This - 23/08/2012 08:50:43 PM 575 Views
Okay. I misunderstood. Sorry. *NM* - 23/08/2012 09:58:20 PM 309 Views
Eh - 23/08/2012 10:37:15 PM 513 Views
Well, I didn't take it that way. - 23/08/2012 10:42:01 PM 625 Views
Good - 24/08/2012 02:20:27 AM 595 Views
Ah, I can understand if that is the case. - 23/08/2012 07:46:38 PM 548 Views
I read it the same way Jen did - 23/08/2012 08:49:16 PM 480 Views
Why? - 23/08/2012 08:51:59 PM 562 Views
See your reply here - the bit before the comma then the bit after it. - 23/08/2012 09:06:20 PM 555 Views
You can see where there's room for doubt in that though, surely. - 23/08/2012 09:20:19 PM 522 Views
I accept there are exceptions under some circumstances - but they are exceptions, not the rule. - 23/08/2012 09:44:36 PM 539 Views
Well, I have to clarify... - 23/08/2012 10:28:13 PM 507 Views
Re: Well, I have to clarify... - 23/08/2012 10:50:59 PM 474 Views
Re: Well, I have to clarify... - 23/08/2012 11:15:50 PM 483 Views
Re: Well, I have to clarify... - 23/08/2012 11:28:56 PM 581 Views
couple things - 24/08/2012 01:57:04 AM 485 Views
Re: couple things - 24/08/2012 02:26:23 PM 519 Views
Re: couple things - 24/08/2012 02:45:38 PM 469 Views
Re: couple things - 25/08/2012 12:11:03 AM 514 Views
You may be talking about Galloway and not Assange, but Galloway was talking about Assange. - 24/08/2012 06:28:00 PM 496 Views
Ew. - 24/08/2012 06:56:27 PM 531 Views
Yes, that about covers it. - 24/08/2012 07:42:13 PM 504 Views
Yes, I was talking about Galoway and what he said - 25/08/2012 12:15:15 AM 638 Views
Re: Well, I have to clarify... - 23/08/2012 11:34:51 PM 572 Views
I can - 23/08/2012 11:05:05 PM 455 Views
I gotta say I am with Paul - 24/08/2012 12:27:44 AM 553 Views
Hm. - 24/08/2012 02:08:33 AM 473 Views
OK - 23/08/2012 09:35:35 PM 501 Views
Bullshit. - 23/08/2012 10:00:54 PM 467 Views
Re: Bullshit. - 23/08/2012 10:52:02 PM 661 Views
To start again then Joel - 23/08/2012 11:14:07 PM 491 Views
My mistake then, sorry. - 23/08/2012 11:32:34 PM 523 Views
Agreeing without agreeing. - 23/08/2012 12:24:10 PM 582 Views
I have gotten used to you being right for the wrong reasons. - 23/08/2012 07:42:32 PM 498 Views
Yes - 23/08/2012 06:34:38 AM 652 Views
Indeed - 23/08/2012 08:47:40 PM 478 Views
I don't know about Galloway but Akin is being made to pay for his commnets - 23/08/2012 04:37:12 PM 577 Views
Um, I'm not sure about that last bit - 23/08/2012 10:43:15 PM 495 Views
this issue has been discussed none stop for two days and this almost never mentioned - 24/08/2012 12:28:25 PM 496 Views
well, that is where I'm confused. - 24/08/2012 07:03:16 PM 528 Views
Maybe I watch to much CNN - 24/08/2012 07:30:23 PM 472 Views
Yeah, I'm curious about that last point as well. - 24/08/2012 02:53:43 AM 545 Views
McCaskills campaign ran ads during the GOP primary calling Akin the "most conservative" candidate. - 24/08/2012 03:33:18 AM 703 Views
Interesting. - 24/08/2012 04:49:51 AM 485 Views
no it isn't kinda true - 24/08/2012 12:50:53 PM 466 Views

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