Abortion Ethics in a Nutshell

A Pro-Both Tour of the Moral Arguments

In the wake of the Dobbs decision, America needs a calm rethinking of abortion. And as most of us intuitively sense, it's too complicated for one favored right to override all other concerns. Rather, we need to balance the interests of the mother, the value of the potential person growing within her, the resulting child's expected quality of life, the father's autonomy, and even the impact on extended family and possibly society at large. Politicians and talking heads would have us believe abortion is either about respecting women or human life, that we're either on Team Red or Team Blue with no room for thoughtful dissent.

However, the inadequacy of the traditional pro vs. pro paradigm becomes apparent via a simple yet illuminating exercise borrowed from professors at the University of Tennessee: "Rate That Abortion", the focus of Chapter Four. That section alone confirms the hidden complexity of abortion ethics. The rest of the audiobook employs the work of dozens of philosophers (translated into everyday language) to remap the moral landscape and guide a new understanding. One bit of long-term hope: Artificial wombs will one day facilitate choice and life, enabling what could be the ultimate win-win.

As ethicists Peter Singer and Deanne Wells put it, "Abortions would, in effect, become early births' enabling sworn enemies from the decades-long abortion wars to 'embrace in happy harmony.'" But would such a medical miracle cause more problems than it eases? Find out. Enrich your own view with the power of some of the best arguments moral thinkers have had to offer. And help elevate the discussion at a time when we need it most.

©2021 J. Matt Deaton (P)2021 J. Matt Deaton

Awesome book

A great perspective on a controversial subject! Thanks Matt for writing this book and making it an audible book.