Response to Hewitt on Abortion

Studia Humana 12 (4):23-33 (2023)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The defense argument in favor of abortion sees the fetus as an invader, a trespasser, someone against whom violence is justified, since this very young person (the fetus) has initiated violence against his mother. Hewitt [30] rejects this argument. The present paper maintains the justification of this defense argument. My perspective is based on the private property rights of the mother. She owns her person. It is as if her body is her house, and a trespasser has invaded it. Surely, she has the right to evict such a person. This analogy is relatively easy to see in the case of rape. The unwanted fetus, now occupying a part of her body is in effect a intruder. If she really owns her body, which I contend she certainly does, she has a right to expel this person from her property. I also argue that voluntary sexual intercourse does not constitution an “invitation” for the pre-born baby to occupy her premises for nine months.

Other Versions

No versions found

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 103,486

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

The Indefensible Self-Defense Argument.Howard Hewitt - 2022 - Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy 21 (2).
Thomson's Violinist and Conjoined Twins.Kenneth Einar Himma - 1999 - Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics 8 (4):428-435.
The Economic Efficiency and Equity of Abortion.Thomas J. Meeks - 1990 - Economics and Philosophy 6 (1):95-138.
My body, not my choice: against legalised abortion.Perry Hendricks - 2022 - Journal of Medical Ethics 48 (7):456-460.
I, Me, Mine: Body-Ownership and the Generation Problem.Fiona Woollard - 2016 - Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 98 (98):87-108.
Evictionism, Libertarianism, and Duties of the Fetus.Łukasz Dominiak & Igor Wysocki - 2023 - Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 48 (6):527-540.
Ectogestation and the Problem of Abortion.Christopher M. Stratman - 2020 - Philosophy and Technology 34 (4):683-700.

Analytics

Added to PP
2023-12-17

Downloads
41 (#582,892)

6 months
12 (#239,387)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

No citations found.

Add more citations

References found in this work

A liberal argument for slavery.Stephen Kershnar - 2003 - Journal of Social Philosophy 34 (4):510–536.
Contract Remedies and Inalienable Rights*: RANDY E. BARNETT.Randy E. Barnett - 1986 - Social Philosophy and Policy 4 (1):179-202.
The nature and basis of inalienable rights.Terrance McConnell - 1984 - Law and Philosophy 3 (1):25 - 59.

View all 9 references / Add more references