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Elizabeth Evans, Undeclared
Faculty Mentor: Professor Jason Grinnell, Philosophy
Adoption or abortion: Which choice is correct? Depending on one's political stance, this question could have an easy answer, but with politics aside and morals at the front of the discussion, the issue of harm comes forward. With childhood mapping the way for future success and happiness, such a decision must be made with careful consideration. Some claim that abortion is morally wrong because it is the murdering of a person, yet "personhood" is itself more complicated than it appears. Furthermore, adoptive children's relationships with their new parents may be suspect, as may be the criteria for parenthood. Many perfectly adequate and loving people are denied the opportunity to adopt for reasons of class, gender, or sexual orientation. Allowing a child to be born and then immediately separated from their biological parents may produce an avoidable harm by leading to an identity crisis for that child. If children are entitled to loving parents, how can that be accomplished? Forcing an unfit woman into motherhood and forcing an innocent child unto unfit parents are not ideal options. Is there an ideal option? An analysis of the work of several ethicists will produce more thorough and defensible responses regarding the value trade-offs involved in adoption and abortion, and in relationships and parenting more generally.
Publication Date
2020
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities
Recommended Citation
Evans, Elizabeth, "The Ethics of Relationships" (2020). Communication and Humanities. 22nd Annual Student Research and Creativity Conference. SUNY Buffalo State.
https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/srcc-sp20-commhum/5
