re: #703 Naso Tang

As has been stated, it is the ending of a potential life. There is a difference.

in the analogies all of the lives are actual. in abortion the life is also actual, the question is personhood/humanity rather than life.

re: #706 Obdicut

that he’s treating the fetus as a full human is actually a concession to your side of the argument.

irrelevant. the argument he’s making is weak. i’m not here to declare victory for my ‘side’, i’m still here because i’m arguing his specific point.

re: #696 jamesfirecat

Your friend with the 38 week old son can if she desires insist that said “son”… be removed from her body…. I was offering you an emotional compromise that I couldn’t defend from a logical point of view….. its all or nothing.

that’s what i was going for. thank you.

you state ‘their death is an regrettable side effect’ is exactly the point — that’s something i’m uncomfortable writing a blank check for.

Would you accept having the violinist hooked up to you?

Would I be a murder if I didn’t?

i don’t recall having used the term ‘murderer’ in this thread.

but i don’t think i have the right to just pull the plug because he’s using my organs and dammit they’re mine. i might have the right to pull the plug for other reasons, like a danger to my life or health. i might have the right to declare that i get to decide where we go and what we do. but just pulling the plug on him because it’s my kidney and he’s an inconvenience? not cool.

re: #727 jamesfirecat

the Violinist argument is a good one because it gives those with a “moral” objection exactly what they want, recognizing the fetus as a human being, and then proceeds to demolish any claim they have for transforming their morality into law.

a good rule of thumb in abortion debates… the only good arguments are the ones that say this is a tough question and it’s hard to figure out how our society should balance it. if you think you have an argument that demolishes the other side, it’s probably actually weaksauce.