Abortion controversy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Abortion controversy - Essay Example On the other hand, abortion that is recommended by the physician is usually meant to save the pregnant woman from the dangers she might be exposed to as a result of the pregnancy. In the philosophical perspective, abortion is evaluated on the moral status of the fetus. Despite the fetus having a moral right to life, it develops in the body of another person and therefore infringes the rights of that person to be free, especially in cases of pregnancy complications. Nevertheless, the fetus does not force itself in the womb. Rather, it develops through a conscious sexual act and therefore has a right to develop inside the body. These arguments generate controversy with regard to the right of a woman for self-determination. Some people support abortion on the basis of health and individual rights, others do not support on moral grounds and religion. In some countries such as the US, abortion is legal while in others especially in the Muslim society, it is illegal. Arguments for Abortion (Example US and UK) The US Supreme Court allowed abortion in 1973 on the bases that a woman has a right to self-determination. It is upon the discretion of the mother to decide whether to carry out an abortion or not. The American culture respects the rights of individuals as rational beings that are able to make rational decisions. For example, it is not considered to an abomination for a woman to terminate an unwanted pregnancy that hampers her productivity in the society (Austin 12). The Abortion Act of 1967 legalized abortion in the UK. It stated that if the abortion is recommended by a medical practitioner in good faith, then it is legal. Although amendments have been made to specify the gestation ceiling at which abortion can be procured, greater reference is made to the law developed in 1967. The UK culture has mixed opinions regarding abortion. However, pro-abortion has an upper hand and some abortion clinics even advertise on television and print media. Most of the familie s in the UK and the US are okay with abortion, and it is mostly left for the woman to decide whether to complete or terminate the pregnancy (Berglund 6). Arguments against Abortion (Example Iran) From a moral stand point, abortion is an unacceptable practice since it terminates the life of a fetus thereby denying it the right to live, considering that if allowed to grow it will develop in to a human being just like the mother and father. It is a practice that should be illegal in Iran where it is currently restricted by the law. In 2005, a bill was passed to legalize abortion on the basis of fetal abnormalities or if it endangers the life of the mother. The mother’s consent with the approval of three registered physicians is enough to secure approval by a legal medicine center. However, the law requires the legal abortion to be procured before 19 weeks of gestation (Mohammad & Masoumeh 191). Kant’s Deontology Theory Kant’s deontology theory portrays good will as a significant component of people’s actions. According to this theory, the reason why people act in a particular manner substantiates whether an individual’s action has moral worth. He observes that there is a notable distinction between actions that are morally right and morally wrong. According to this theory, abortion that is procured through good will is morally right. For example, morally good actions include a situation whereby a qualified physician recommends an abortion to protect the life of the mother (Strawson 27). On the other hand, a mother who procures an abortion to enable her to undertake greater tasks in the workplace or to look better is in pursuit of personal interests at the expense of the

Child labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Child labor - Essay Example Child labor is such an epidemic that has taken its toll in almost every society of the world with varying degrees of severity and figures. 2. Child Labor International Trade Union Confederation defined child labor as any work that hinders in the development of the true potential, acquisition of dignity and that may obscure the physical and mental growth of a child (1). There exist many types of child labors across the world; agricultural work, industrial work, lifting goods etc. International Labor Office Geneva provided the figures that around 211 million children were known to be employed in full time child labor jobs in the year 2000. According to International Trade Union Confederation, every individual under the age of 18 is considered to be a child, however the age bracket of the children included in this statistic were from 5 to 14 years of age (1). This figure does not even include the children who might be working on shifts basis for lesser durations in a day. This appalling figure serves to make one realize the severity of this situation. 3. Causes and Solutions of Child Labor According to this publication by International Labor Office Geneva, the presence of child labor is lesser in developed countries as compared to the developing ones since developed countries have been recorded to have 2% of child labor and developing nations possess as much as 30% of child labor. One factor that can explain the extensive differentiation between these figures is poverty. Udry agrees with this factor and stated that many economists believe that poverty is a major aspect that compels the parents to send their children to participate in earning for the household (2). However, the eradication of poverty cannot simple be the solution of child labor; it must be accompanied with the creation of awareness of the hazardous causes of undermining the value of education and development of mental growth of the child. It is often witnessed that uneducated parents do not conside r child labor as any wrong conduct and impose the decision of work upon their children. It seems as a natural process in their lives since their ancestors have been following the same direction since ages. This causes the poor children to grow up to be uneducated and poor adults who cannot break the vicious cycle and earn a better place and respect in the society. Vandenberg stated that the cost of education tends to become a hindrance in its acquisition and ends up making the children resort to child labor as the choice other than education (15). He also provided a useful figure that pointed out that Kenya took a positive step against the eradication of child labor in 2003 and abolished the fees from primary schools (18). This step proved to get 1.5 million children off from the streets and their work and starting acquiring education. Free education is a good approach to reduce child labor but the shortage of earnings in a family may prove to incline the parents to send the childre n in the world to earn again. A good strategy to avoid such relapses of poverty can be to regulate effective implementation of the minimal wages to ensure that every adult is able to afford a comfortable living without depending on his children to participate in making ends meet. The people or organizations that promote and encourage child labor often