Fetal reduction, moral permissibility and the all or nothing problem

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Reproductive Ethics
• Moral Philosophy

Background:

• The ethical debate surrounding multifetal pregnancy reduction (MFPR) from twins to singletons (2-to-1 MFPR) is ongoing.
• Räsänen's argument, using the
• all or nothing
• problem, suggests a moral obligation to abort both fetuses if selective abortion is deemed wrong.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate Räsänen's argument regarding the moral permissibility of 2-to-1 MFPR.
• To demonstrate the flaws in the inference from plausible premises to an implausible conclusion.
• To provide a reasoned rejection of the claim that aborting only one twin is morally wrong.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical argumentation
• Ethical analysis
• Critique of moral reasoning
• Application of the
• all or nothing
• problem

Main Results:

• Räsänen's argument relies on a flawed bridge principle that does not hold in all relevant circumstances.
• There are valid ethical reasons to reject the premise that aborting only one fetus in a twin pregnancy is inherently wrong.
• The conclusion that women ought to abort both fetuses rather than one is not supported.

Conclusions:

• The ethical permissibility of 2-to-1 MFPR is supported by rejecting Räsänen's argument.
• Selective abortion in twin pregnancies does not necessitate aborting both fetuses.
• Alternative solutions like adoption are not the only morally acceptable outcomes.