Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
12:38
Cortical Neurogenesis: Transitioning from Advances in the Laboratory to Cell-Based Therapies
Published on: July 19, 2007
Boonin on the future-like-ours argument against abortion.
1Centro de Filosofia, Faculdade de Letras, Universidade de Lisboa, Alameda da Universidade, 1600-214 Lisboa, Portugal. galv@sapo.pt
Bioethics
|September 12, 2007
Summary
This paper argues that David Boonin
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Moral Philosophy
Background:
- Abortion ethics is a contentious issue.
- Donald Marquis's future-like-ours argument is a prominent anti-abortion stance.
- David Boonin has critiqued Marquis's argument.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the success of David Boonin's critique of Donald Marquis's future-like-ours argument against abortion.
- To demonstrate the inadequacy of Boonin's ethical principle in explaining the wrongness of infanticide.
- To show that Boonin's critique misrepresents Marquis's argument.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical analysis of ethical arguments.
- Examination of the principle of future-like-ours.
- Critique of Boonin's objections to Marquis's argument.
- Analysis of the ethical implications for infanticide.
Main Results:
- Boonin's ethical principle fails to account for the wrongness of infanticide.
- Boonin's critique misrepresents Marquis's future-like-ours argument.
- A revised critique by Boonin, while avoiding misrepresentation, is still unsuccessful due to the wrongness of infanticide.
Conclusions:
- David Boonin's critique of Donald Marquis's future-like-ours argument is unsuccessful.
- The ethical principle used by Boonin is insufficient.
- Boonin's objections do not undermine the anti-abortion argument based on future potential.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Reproductive Cloning
Reproductive cloning is the process of producing a genetically identical copy—a clone—of an entire organism. While clones can be produced by splitting an early embryo—similar to what happens naturally with identical twins—cloning of adult animals is usually done by a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
In SCNT, an egg cell is taken from an animal and its nucleus is removed, creating an enucleated egg. Then a somatic cell—any cell that is not a sex...
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
In SCNT, an egg cell is taken from an animal and its nucleus is removed, creating an enucleated egg. Then a somatic cell—any cell that is not a sex...
01:27Reproductive Cloning
Reproductive cloning is the process of producing a genetically identical copy—a clone—of an entire organism. While clones can be produced by splitting an early embryo—similar to what happens naturally with identical twins—cloning of adult animals is usually done by a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
In SCNT, an egg cell is taken from an animal and its nucleus is removed, creating an enucleated egg. Then a somatic cell—any cell that is not a sex...
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
In SCNT, an egg cell is taken from an animal and its nucleus is removed, creating an enucleated egg. Then a somatic cell—any cell that is not a sex...
01:22Ethics and Bioethics
Ethics is a philosophical study of moral actions. Ethics attempts to determine what is valuable for individuals and society. It examines the rational justification of moral judgments and analyzes what is morally just, fair, and right. Bioethics is a sub-discipline of applied ethics that analyzes the philosophical, social, and legal issues in life sciences and medicine. Ethical theories serve as a foundation for decision-making and represent the viewpoints from which people seek direction. They...
02:56The Fossil Record
The fossil record documents only a small fraction of all organisms that have ever inhabited Earth. Fossilization is a rare process, and most organisms never become fossils. Moreover, the fossil record only exhibits fossils that have been discovered. Nevertheless, sedimentary rock fossils of long-lived, abundant, hard-bodied organisms dominate the fossil record. These fossils offer valuable information, such as an organism's physical form, behavior, and age. Studying the fossil record helps...
00:58Embryonic Stem Cells
Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.
00:57Embryonic Stem Cells
Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...