A Libertarian Analysis of Abortion

On Fri, Jun 1, 2018, 11:26PM T wrote:
Dr. Block,

Your point concerning a libertarian approach to abortion is interesting, but you fail to accurately describe the situation.

A pregnancy where the woman was a willing participant isn’t merely a case of trespass. It is like inviting a disabled person to your home and then deciding you don’t want that person there. Knowing the person to be incapable of leaving on his or her own power, libertarian philosophy would say that the inviter has a responsibility to ensure that the “trespasser” departs safely. Any action to expel the “trespasser” which would result in death or serious injury would constitute an initiation of aggression on the part of the property owner.

In the case of a forced pregnancy, the disabled “trespasser” has been forcibly dropped off by a stranger. It is the stranger who committed the offense, not the “trespasser.” In this case, too, the “trespasser” has committed no willing offense and has no ability to produce a remedy, and I hardly think that libertarian philosophy would consider this “trespass” to be a capital offense.

The true issue in abortion, is whether the fetus is or is not a person. If the answer is yes then how the pregnancy occurred is irrelevant. If the answer is no then the timing of the abortion is irrelevant. Yes or no; that’s where the real battle is. T

Dear T: Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this challenging issue with me. I think I anticipate your objections to my theory in the publications below. If you don’t think so, do, please, get back to me on this matter. Best regards, Walter

Block, Walter E. 2014B. “Evictionism and Libertarianism.” Journal of Medicine and Philosophy. Volume 35, Issue 2, pp 290-294; http://jmp.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/04/27/jmp.jhu012.full?keytype=ref&ijkey=3n1zc8zcBRnT586;
http://jmp.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/jhu012?ijkey=3n1zc8zcBRnT586&keytype=ref

Block, Walter E. 2014C. “Should abortion be criminalized? Rejoinder to Akers, Davies and Shaffer on Abortion” Management Education Science Technology (MEST) Journal. Vol. 2, No. 1, January, pp. 33-44; http://fbim.meste.org/FBIM_1_2014/Sadrzaj_eng.html; http://fbim.meste.org/FBIM_1_2014/_04.pdf

Block, Walter E. 2014D. “Response to Wisniewski on Abortion, Round Four.” Management Education Science Technology Journal (MEST); Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 1-14;
http://www.fbim.meste.org/FBIM_2_2014/Sadrzaj_eng.html;
http://www.fbim.meste.org/FBIM_2_2014/4_01.pdf

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12:17 pm on November 14, 2018