What are your views on abortion?

[Martinus]

Because we haven't had that discussion for a while.

[The Brain]

In general?

[Martinus]

In general?

For humans.

[celedhring]

I am in the "I personally couldn't do it but I don't find it in myself to make it illegal for others" camp.

So I'd make it legal but with enough (reasonable) hurdles and counseling so it's a last resort (unless there's a health emergency for the mother, of course).

Of course, ultimately the best way to reduce abortions is to reduce unwanted pregnancies through sex ed, and beef up child support policies.

[Martinus]

Yeah, I think personally most people would fall somewhere between option 3 and 4 on the poll (I know I fluctuate between the two). So it makes me wonder why there is so much controversy on this issue (most recently in Poland) - it seems like extremists on both sides tend to hijack the issue for political gain.

[Norgy]

Mandatory. We have enough people. Also known as the #nottrumpwall

[The Brain]

As long as it's legal to have kids and then demand that other people pay for their upkeep it seems petty to make abortion illegal.

[Solmyr]

Why would abortion be morally negative? Whose morals are we referencing here?

[Valmy]

Why would abortion be morally negative? Whose morals are we referencing here?

I presume, since the question is what my views are, that they would be my morals

I find it very unfortunate and I hope we can work on birth control technology to give women control of their bodies before pregnancy occurs. As things stand now legal and safe abortions are only rational way to go. I hope, though, that eventually we can make them unnecessary or at least extremely rare. Human life should be as sacred as possible, under the circumstances.

[Zanza]

An abortion is the tragic outcome of the conflict between two morally positive principles, namely the fetus right to life and the mother's right to control her own body. As with all tragedies, there is no right choice. So I tend towards the compromise solution adopted in many societies, namely to make early term abortions legal. 

[Josquius]

Potentially iffy for the woman's health, not getting pregnant in the first place is better, but if she's pregnant and doesn't want to be then no issue whatsoever.

[MadImmortalMan]

I find morality and legality to be two completely separate questions.

[Razgovory]

I don't think a person's right to their own body is absolute.

[Eddie Teach]

I view it as something not to talk about on Languish.

[dps]

Yeah, I think personally most people would fall somewhere between option 3 and 4 on the poll (I know I fluctuate between the two). So it makes me wonder why there is so much controversy on this issue (most recently in Poland) - it seems like extremists on both sides tend to hijack the issue for political gain.

I don't really get the rationale of #4.  I understand it as a practical matter, but it isn't really logical.  It seems to me that the unborn fetus either is or isn't a human being.  If it isn't, then #2 would seem to be the logical choice.  If it is, then #5 would be the logical choice.  If it isn't a human life at conception, but becomes human at some point before birth, then #3 (or really, a blend of #2 and #3) makes sense.

I don't claim to know at what point a developing fetus becomes human.  I think it probably is human some time before birth, but I have a lot of doubts about it being human at conception.