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MajorIronMouse30
2. Moral Arguments Moral argumentation often takes the form of…
2. Moral Arguments
Moral argumentation often takes the form of analogical argument. In moral reasoning, people often try to decide a morally problematic situation by evaluating its similarities to situations that appear less problematic to common moral ideals and intuitions. In this way, the less problematic situation functions as the primary analogue in an argument from analogy. The morally problematic situation is the secondary analogue, for which the thinker is trying to reach an adequate conclusion about its morality. Due to the elusive nature of such issues, moral argument is often an extended process, or dialogue, involving a sequence of analogies followed by disanalogies and counteranalogies.
The following passage is an example of moral argument. Use your understanding of analogical arguments and moral argumentation to answer the questions that follow.
Passage A
Consider the rare medical condition known as “Fetus in Fetu.” In this condition, a fetus is trapped inside the body of a twin host fetus during early pregnancy. The parasitic twin feeds off its host’s blood supply and continues to grow. In some cases, the host twin is actually delivered, and the parasitic twin continues to grow inside the host’s body, risking the host’s own well-being. In one such case, a boy in Chile was born with a parasitic twin fetus in his stomach. The host twin was delivered, and the parasitic twin fetus was removed from the host’s stomach after his birth. Surely no reasonable person would object to this disposal of a parasitic twin fetus for the sake of its otherwise healthy host. But the early stages of normal fetal development are essentially the same as the situation of a parasitic twinin both situations the fetus feeds off a host’s blood supply and grows inside the host’s body. Hence, the abortion of a fetus during its early stages of development should be no more objectionable than the disposal of a parasitic twin fetus.
Which of the following, if any, function as primary analogues in Passage A? Check all that apply.
A fetus growing inside of a host’s body
The medical condition known as “Fetus in Fetu”
A fetus feeding off of a host’s blood supply
The early stages of normal fetal development
Which of the following, if any, function as secondary analogues in Passage A? Check all that apply.
A fetus growing inside of a host’s body
The early stages of normal fetal development
A fetus feeding off of a host’s blood supply
The medical condition known as “Fetus in Fetu”
Which statement best expresses the conclusion put forward by the argument in Passage A?
There should be no restrictions on abortions.
Fetuses are parasites.
The abortion of a fetus during early stages of development should not be objected to.
Parasitic twin fetuses should not be disposed of.
Which statement best poses a disanalogy to the argument that has been given?
A parasitic twin usually poses a threat to the well-being of its host, whereas this is usually not the case in a normal pregnancy.
The abortion of a fetus during early stages of development is legal in many places.
If a parasitic twin grows inside the host’s stomach, as in the case of the Chilean boy, the host will even look pregnant.
Which of the following best suggests a counteranalogy to address the disanalogy suggested in the preceding question?
If the disposal of a parasitic twin fetus is nonobjectionable, then we should at least accept cases of abortion in which pregnancy poses a genuine threat to the mother’s well-being.
Cases of “Fetus in Fetu” are extremely rare, whereas pregnancy is relatively common.
Some people believe that abortion is objectionable under all circumstances.
