I presented a variation on a Sophie's Choice thought experiment, yesterday, with the intent of demonstrating the intellectual dishonesty of morally equating an embryo, or non-viable fetus with an actual child. When presented, I thought it wasn't a big deal. All I was doing was removing an irrational argument. I was confident that anti-abortionists would still argue against abortion; they would just use one of their other arguments. I realised that equating a fetus with a child was an argument of anti-abortionists, however dishonest it may be. What I did not realise, it appears, is that it is their only argument.
I am beginning to believe this is why so many of them are angry, and are accusing me of trying to force them to give up their anti-abortion position with the experiment. Because the only case they have against abortion is to create the false equivalency of a fetus to a baby, or child. Once you remove that false equivalency, anti-abortionists have no other argument.
I invite the anti-abortionists to prove me wrong. By all means defend your position that abortion should be prohibited by law using any argument that isn't "because they are babies/children/persons".
I believe it would help to describe the experiment.
Is it the one about a child vs 1000's of embryos in a fire? If so, it is expected that no answer will be offered.
It is, and very few were. Even those who answered tried to insist that it proved nothing, and I constantly had to explain the difference between intrinsic moral value, and relative moral value. I also was accused repeatedly of trying to force abortionists to change their stance on abortion. I honestly didn't see it that way.
It wasn't until one of the people I was engaging immediately altered his argument, when I finally got him to understand the importance of relative moral value, to "killing them is different from just letting them die" That was when I realised that this false moral equivalency is the
only argument against legalised abortion they have, and forcing them to give that up, effectively
does force them to alter their position. Which is why they cling so desperately to the false equivalency.
Are we gonna go back an REDO that thread? That thought experiment is ALWAYS subject to "relative moral value". Put 1 child against 1000 old folks. Or 1 child against 1000 convicted murderers. Or 1 child against 1000 dying cancer patients. It is ALWAYS relative. I told you WHY those embryos had value. You took a pass.
Great! then if you concede that the moral value of embryos/non-viable fetuses is less than the relative moral value of a child, then you will stop trying to create a false moral equivalency between the two, right? glad to hear that.
Now, I look forward to hearing your argument in favour of banning abortion that does
not rely on creating that false moral equivalency.
The problem is... You aren't in a position to say what is morally equivalent. In fact many might say that you would be found morally lacking.
To demonstrate, let's establish a base line of the things that you place above racism. We have in no particular order...
Cannibalism, animal cruelty, and you personally commiting child rape. Sounds fucking crazy I know... That's why I had to double check. And sure enough; you said...
.
"Really?!?! A fucking
racist poopooing plagiarism? Like you think talking about that somehow gives
you the moral high ground. You will
never have the moral high ground, you racist fuck! I could be raping a 12-year-old girl, while beating puppies...
with kittens...boiling babies, and drinking their melted fat, and you
stillwouldn't have the moral high ground, you
racist fuck! There is
nothing more vile, disgusting, or reprehensible than a racist fuck
you racist fuck!"
Heres a quick link to your baseline...
Hypothetical no anti-abortionist will honestly answer
While you may find this hierarchy of morality perfectly acceptable... I think many posters would find your judgment on the matter to be insufficient, to allow you to declare equivalence in a moral matter. Just sayin'...