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Person 1: Nobody, fetus or adult, may use a woman’s body without her consent. Person 2 (our hero): I sympathize with women facing unwanted pregnancies. But abortion does more than separate the fetus and mother. The fetus’s death is no accident.

Consent vs. Death

Some well-meaning pro-life advocates only focus of the humanity and value of the preborn, but that’s not always helpful. Some people think that abortion is justified even if the fetus is a valuable person just like adults. For example, the famous Violinist Argument by philosopher Judith Thomson tries to justify abortion even if the fetus is a valuable person. (Here’s an intro to the Violinist Argument by Stanford Students for Life.) We need to be prepared to argue that it is not permissible to kill a person simply because the person is in utero.

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Suggested:
Person 1: It’s my body, so it’s my choice. Person 2 (our hero): I agree that we deserve special rights regarding our own bodies. I want to understand your view better. When a woman is pregnant, would you say there’s one body present or two?Person 1: Sure, a fetus is a person. But a woman may do anything to anyone in her body. Person 2 (our hero): I agree that we deserve special rights regarding our own bodies. But may a pregnant woman take thalidomide? It causes serious birth defects.Person 1: Fine, a fetus is a human person. But a woman may do anything to anyone in her body. Person 2 (our hero): I agree we deserve special rights regarding our own bodies. To be clear, do you think abortion is always okay, at any time, even for no reason?Person 1: The fetus is a trespasser. Person 2 (our hero): I think I see what you mean. I wish nobody were ever pregnant without wanting to be. Let me ask a question; bear with me. If I find a stowaway toddler on my boat, may I throw her overboard?
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