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I am interested in created a thread about abortion and have a debate about it, but the debate I want to have, I want it to be in the form of a socratic dialog. Basically what that consists of is a discussion between 2 (or more people) where one person continues to question the answers given by the other. I have already started it I believe and would just be interested in seeing it continue, as it is a bit difficult to argue on both sides of the same coin by yourself for very long. So if we can keep the format of this debate in a question/answer/question about the answer type that would be great. Looking forward to seeing how this works out. Also to keep things structured I have created names for the "characters in the debate" per say. Bob is asking the questions and is pro-choice and roy is answering them and being questioned and is pro-life. Here is what I have started:
Bob: Why should abortion be made illegal?
Roy: Because through the act of abortion a human life is killed.
Bob: A human life isn’t being killed though it is just an embryo, do you believe and embryo is a human life?
Roy: Yes.
Bob: What makes it a human life?
Roy: A human life is the exact same thing as an adult human being, the only difference being the stage of development.
Bob: But an embryo is not the exact same thing as an adult human being, it does not contain developed organs and most importantly it does not contain a developed nervous systems so it would be unable to feel pain or pleasure or have thoughts. While it may eventually grow into a human being, it is not when it is aborted and therefore killing it would not be considered murder because it does not have the rights given to humans. Do you now have another reason behind why abortion should be made illegal?
Roy: Abortion should be made illegal because it allows women and men (the father) an opportunity to have an easy way out and not take responsibility for their actions.
Let's take one giant Catholic step back; Humanae Vitae "any action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act [sexual intercourse], or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is against God's law.
If we establish the moral starting point as take the absolutist put forth in Humanae Vitae, any act which prevents the natural joining of sperm and egg, one has denied the sanctity of life. If one doesn't begin at that point then the choice for ending human life becomes rather arbitrary and a matter of personal conscience.
Location: East Texas, with the Clan of the Cave Bear
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohKnip
I am interested in created a thread about abortion and have a debate about it, but the debate I want to have, I want it to be in the form of a socratic dialog. Basically what that consists of is a discussion between 2 (or more people) where one person continues to question the answers given by the other. I have already started it I believe and would just be interested in seeing it continue, as it is a bit difficult to argue on both sides of the same coin by yourself for very long. So if we can keep the format of this debate in a question/answer/question about the answer type that would be great. Looking forward to seeing how this works out. Also to keep things structured I have created names for the "characters in the debate" per say. Bob is asking the questions and is pro-choice and roy is answering them and being questioned and is pro-life. Here is what I have started:
Bob: Why should abortion be made illegal?
Roy: Because through the act of abortion a human life is killed.
Bob: A human life isn’t being killed though it is just an embryo, do you believe and embryo is a human life?
Roy: Yes.
Bob: What makes it a human life?
Roy: A human life is the exact same thing as an adult human being, the only difference being the stage of development.
Bob: But an embryo is not the exact same thing as an adult human being, it does not contain developed organs and most importantly it does not contain a developed nervous systems so it would be unable to feel pain or pleasure or have thoughts. While it may eventually grow into a human being, it is not when it is aborted and therefore killing it would not be considered murder because it does not have the rights given to humans. Do you now have another reason behind why abortion should be made illegal?
Roy: Abortion should be made illegal because it allows women and men (the father) an opportunity to have an easy way out and not take responsibility for their actions.
Bob:
It's Bob's turn to question Roy's answer. Enjoy.
Bob: Sorry ... that shouldn't be in a discussion about abortion.
Roy: You are correct ... that is a different subject, you know the taking responsibility thingy ... lets get back to is this a true living thing. When do you think its viable?
Roy: Abortion should be made illegal because it allows women and men (the father) an opportunity to have an easy way out and not take responsibility for their actions.
Bob:
It's Bob's turn to question Roy's answer. Enjoy.
Even if the baby is born, it does not prevent the mom and dad from taking the easy way out. Bad parenting happens all the time. Having too many children when you cannot afford it causes more child abuse too.
Let's take one big Catholic step back in the argument by using Humanae Vitae as the moral ground zero.
"any action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act [sexual intercourse], or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" (Humanae Vitae 14).
Assuming our starting point is Humanae Vitae, how does one morally justify declaring that life only begins at conception? What is the moral distinction between destroying two human cells or a combined human cell which we call an embryo?
Bob: Why is it the responsibility of everyone else to tell them what to do with their bodies and families, while it is not the responsibility of those around them to help care for it by forcing that decision on them?
Roy: That's Socialism!
Bob: So it's okay for the government to tell everyone what they should do when you agree, but not when you don't?
Only facists & homosexuals of the classical grecoroman culture mention him...
Or someone with more than a 3rd grade education, first year law students, or any of the Justices of the Supreme Court... but I digress.
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