The main figures in this case study are as follows:
- Jessica: A pregnant mother;
- Marco: The child’s father;
- Anna: Jessica’s aunt;
- Dr. Wilson: The treating physician.
The case study begins by describing the situation in which Jessica arrives in the hospital on her 4th month of pregnancy to scan the fetus with ultrasound and ensure no abnormalities. The family learns that the child is developing severe deformities, including having no arms and a high chance of developing Down syndrome. Given the likelihood of the child leading a difficult and unhappy life, the doctor proposes abortion as a solution. The family is split on the decision, as Anna and Jessica are deeply religious. Anna believes abortion to be a sinful act, whereas Jessica is split between remaining faithful to God and having to live a life of poverty to support a disadvantaged child. Marco is neutral in the decision-making process and will support any outcome but would prefer abortion if it were up to him alone.
Christian View of the Issue
Christianity features an interesting moral dichotomy when it comes to decision-making. According to the Bible, God gave humans free will to do as they please, but at the same time places severe restrictions on what is right and wrong. The notion of these matters is determined in Heaven, on which humanity cannot have a separate opinion. Conversely, the authority over all lives, including that of a person, belongs to God, not humanity. Taking a life is forbidden in the scriptures, which makes abortion murder and a sin. At the same time, childbirth is viewed as a God’s miracle, thus giving a moral status to the fetus at any stage of development (Lagercrantz, 2014). This view compatible with the relationship theory of morality, where moral status is given to the fetus through its relationship with a higher moral authority, which is God.
Moral Theories Displayed in the Case Study
Bioethics identifies five major moral theories that tend to be used in complex case studies such as this one. These theories are as follows:
Human properties theory
According to this theory, only a fully-born human being has moral status. No matter how sentient or conscious they are, other creatures do not have a moral status (Sumner, 2014). This human-centric theory, though generally viewed as limiting, lends basis to other systems.
Cognitive theory
A logical development that seeks to improve the limitations of human properties theory, this construct places moral status on the cognitive capabilities of the creature, which involves perception, thinking, memory, and the capacity for understanding (Sumner, 2014).
Sentience-based theory
This theory offers moral status to creatures based on their ability to suffer (Sumner, 2014). According to that idea, creatures gain moral status when they can react and be fearful of pain.
Moral agency theory
This framework grants moral status based on the capacity of the creature to determine right from wrong (Sumner, 2014).
Relationship theory
The moral status of people and actions is based on their relationship to a defining group, be that family, nation, or religion (Sumner, 2014).
The case study features only two out of five core theories in play. Dr. Wilson is a proponent of the cognitive theory. His suggestion to undergo an abortion is based on the fact that the fetus did not develop a cognitive capacity to be self-aware just yet. Anna and Jessica, being deeply religious, are obvious proponents of the relationship theory, as they see the child as a gift from God. Marco doesn’t seem to have any strong opinions on the matter, which could be a sign of moral relativism. His primary moral dilemma revolves not around the status of the child but his own capacity to support his wife and family. It is possible to make an argument that his moral system is also a relationship-type one, only with family placed as the highest moral standard.
Theory in Connection to Recommendations
There are two recommendations featured in the case study given by Anna and Dr. Wilson, each belonging to the opposite school of moral thought. As the doctor is a proponent of cognitive theory, he believes it to be moral to remove the fetus in order to save the family from future struggles and prevent the unborn child from facing the hardships of life at a handicap (Allan, 2015). Anna, on the other hand, bases her recommendation on the fetus’s relationship with God. Since it is God that gives life, he is the only one who could take it away. Therefore, the child must be allowed to be born, to live a life as God intended it. Her recommendation, thus, suggests non-interference and letting nature take its course.
Personal Opinion
Personally, I would side with Dr. Wilson’s suggestion, as I find a cognitive theory to be the most appropriate in this situation. Relationship theory with God does not have a scientific basis to rely on, making it unfit for evidence-based medicine. Sentience theory has numerous moral loopholes, the biggest one being that it equates human suffering with the suffering of animals. Moral judgment theory is biased, as what constitutes a moral choice differs from one individual to another. Lastly, the human properties theory is too limiting to consider. Therefore, I support a cognition-based choice of performing an abortion in this scenario.
References
Allan, L. (2015). Contraception and abortion: A utilitarian view. Web.
Lagercrantz, H. (2014). The emergence of consciousness: Science and ethics. Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 19(5), 300-305.
Sumner, L. W. (2014). Abortion and moral theory (2nd ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.