In this context the argument is made from a moral and religious point-of-view that the unborn child is alive and that abortion is tantamount to murder. As Bohan (1999) states in the House of Atreus: Abortion as a Human Rights Issue, "No society that truly believes in human rights can fail to recognize the right to life of the unborn. Human rights are, by definition, rights, which inhere in one simply by virtue of being a human "(Bohan, 1999, p. 64).
From the religious perspective the main argument against abortion revolves around the view of the religious and spiritual value of human life. In Christianity this refers to the Commandant, "Thou shall not Kill." The sanctity of life applies as well to the unborn child and in many religions life begins at the moment of conception. Form this normative perspective the murder of a human being is seen to be more significant than any debate about human rights. There has been esteem criticism from the mainstream western churches of any ate top to justify or rationalize abortion. The Catholic church has condemned abortion as well as stem-cell research as it, "... involves the destruction of human embryos. Pope John Paul II says embryonic stem-cell research is related to abortion, euthanasia and other attacks on innocent life." (Stem-cell Research and the Catholic Church)
5. Discussion and analysis
The question of abortion is a very emotional and incendiary social issue. The reason for the intensity of his debate has been referred to in the above sections. The central point that has been made is that abortion must be seen in relation to other societal issues and conflicts. Abortion therefore is related to there way in which values and norms are constructed and maintained in society by religious or secular groupings.
The question of abortion is also related to other areas of societal stratification and structure, which create different value systems and viewpoints - such as the issue of gender prejudice and the way in which a societies values are determined by predominantly male prejudices and preferences. Religious views and perception also generate values and norms that run counter to the secular rationale given for the legalization of abortion.
This also relates to the fact that different societies have different views and societal response to the question of abortion. There are many countries where abortion is completely forbidden and seen to be against the dominant social norms. In some countries women can be imprisoned if they are found to have had an abortion.
Approximately 25% of the world population lives in countries with highly restrictive abortion laws, mostly in Latin America, Africa and Asia. These are the countries where abortion is most restricted according to the law. In some countries, such as in Chili, women still go to prison for having an illegal abortion
Abortion Laws Wordwide)
4. Analysis: conflict theory
As stated, the arguments both for and against abortion are related to larger issues in society that are all interconnected and affect productive and gender rights. As one study suggests, the legalization of abortion rights is closely linked to issues such as class, race and economic discrimination. One study suggests that, "Abortion should remain legal in the near future... because statutory bans on abortion during the twentieth century were selectively or arbitrarily enforced in ways that intentionally discriminated against poor persons and persons of color" (Graber, 1996, p. 6).
On the other hand, the norms that are maintained by the religious components of society maintain the exact opposite point-of-view; namely, that abortion is an infringement of the essential human right to life and therefore is morally and socially reprehensible. As has been referred to obliquely throughout this paper, this boils done to a conflict between more then just two different groups but is in fact representative of a division in society between a religious and a secular vision of life and reality.
In terms of the above...
Social issue alcohol drugs consider a social issue interested. It human freedom, sexuality, deviance, crime, social mobility, poverty, education, aging, similar issues. Select a specific social issue investigate assignment. Social issue: Drug abuse The social problem of drug addiction is a long-standing one, yet the causes of addiction and the best way to treat addiction still remain difficult questions to answer. One contentious issue pertains to whether addiction is a 'crime' or
Social issues are sometimes affected by the environmental and economic issues, but they often have a life of their own. The social environment is comprised of a number of factors, including demographics, trends, mores and norms, and social factors that affect the market such as health, education and social mobility (MindTools, 2014). Those factors will affect the economic power of consumers, but also other things like knowledge that will affect
Social Problem of Homelessness Teaching Social Issues Homelessness is a social problem that is prevalent around the world and particularly in the United States of America. Homelessness has existed for much of "civilized" human history, with sharp increases in eras of history such as the Industrial Revolution. In the last two centuries, homelessness and changed and expanded, though there remains a significant amount of research to be done. Professionals who study and
Other issues arise in the clustering of immigrants around the major urban areas, thus pulling to much from the grid, taxing the already marginalized system, and allowing an unprescedented demand in new housing. Experts acknolwedge that this increased level of housing needs cause even short-term visias to now be suspect in contributed to the gridlock. Additionally one of the conundrums that support a change in policy focuses on the type
Social Issues and the Myth of Luck in "Rocking- Horse Winner" by DH Lawrence Rocking- Horse Winner" is a short story by DH Lawrence that illustrates the importance of social status and the myth of luck in Paul's family, as well as in the society that their family live in. The short story deals with these two important themes, and each theme is dependent on each other, since it is evident,
Indeed, if there is only one type of beautiful person, it contributes to increased insecurity in women who happen to be a different shape or size from the "ideal" women perpetuated in the popular culture. According to Dank, Norton, Olds and Olive (1996), there has a lengthy association between dolls and ideal proportions, a relationship going back to Greek times. For example, pre-18th century dolls were manufactured so as to
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now