| dc.description.abstract | Abortion is a long time problem in human history, because it involves the life of a fetus and the difficult situation and decisions of the pregnant woman, hence, it encloses a great controversy. For abortion is not only a moral problem, it is also a political and legal problems in some western countries. It is a never ending hot debate between the two camps of pro-life of the conservative and pro-choice the liberals.
In real life there is certainly needs for abortion, and if totally forbidden, it may hurt the pregnant woman and threaten their lives. For instance, there are definitely physiological conditions, such as extra uterine pregnancy, serious deformed fetus that need abortion. There are ethical requirements that need be considered such as under-age pregnancy, or pregnant because of sexual assaulting. Liberals respect the right of body and support choice of the pregnant and hence abortion, but not arbitrary abortion. My thesis gives a fair analysis of the three mainstream philosophies of abortion and with the not-one and not-two relationship point of view of Seymour, I try to explicate the intimate relation of the mother-fetus that they are not totally independent and not opposing disputants of rights. In contrast, Confucianism is better fitting with the ethical view of Taiwan society. With the reasonable Confucian perspective, I argue that the ethical issues of abortion need be considered as a problem of ethical relation between the mother and fetus and supports reasonable abortion with the mother taking the role of a responsible moral agent in her decision. Lastly, my thesis gives some critical comments of the problems of abortion in Taiwan and the Act of Eugenic Reproduction, and give some suggestions on its amendment. | en_US |