PRACTICAL ETHICS

Will Down syndrome disappear?

We are coming to the day when for all practical purposes all fetuses with Down's, the most common chromosome abnormality in humans, can universally be detected. Babies affected with this syndrome number roughly 1 in 700 in the USA, and 99.8% have IQ below 70 (the traditional definition of mental retardation).

While it is true that voluntary abortions are eliminating most of these fetuses(three US studies have estimated 95%, 98%, and 87% ) there remain the percentage of parents who choose not to abort, and the handful of cases where the condition is not detected.

The number of babies born with Down's syndrome born in the USA probably number over 6000-7000 per year.

The question of interest is do you believe that parents of a fetus will ever be forced to have an abortion if they do not voluntarily ask for one? The presumption is the testing will be mandatory.

The question is primarily about how you see politics evolving, not your personal belief as to the ethical choice.

The day a woman is forced to have an abortion, is the day armed revolt against the governemnt is justified.

I can see it happening. When you look at some of the rest of what once was thought crazy but later be America mandatory it isn't a stretch. Though I will qualify this and say it will:

A. Happen in Europe and Africa first and
B. Take steps of to get there

By steps I mean perhaps at first there will be propoganda to steer people in that direction. Then a waiver saying no SSI be edits for the kid. And so on. I can see in 100 years society degrading to the point where people accept that "eaters need to be eliminated" and nothing is thought of requiring an abortion which by then may be just a pill.

Yes I have a low view of where society is going.

Quote: Nareed

The day a woman is forced to have an abortion, is the day armed revolt against the governemnt is justified.

I chose Down's Syndrome partly because children affected with the disease are not dangerous, nor are they in pain. They simply require a lot more effort.

The more difficult choice is babies that have much more serious disease and are expected to be born with painful problems and fatally deformed. A girl I knew in high school refused to abort a fetus who died within days, certainly in pain. If there is a law passed, it will probably be in these cases first.

Quote: Pacomartin

If there is a law passed, it will probably be in these cases first.

That doesn't change my argument.

The right to abortion is part of a woman's right to her own body. This includes the right to carry a rpegnancy to term. Forcing a woman to undergo an abortion is as bad as forcing her to carry the pregnancy to term.

BTW, if you want to learn about practical ethics (a redundancy, as ethics is concerned with actions and morality should be practical), visit this link:

http://www.philosophyinaction.com/

"He loved Big Brother".

Nobody can predict the unpredictable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_610365&feature=iv&list=PLA2668C1772FE44AA&src_vid=tveRHfsS_jA&v=KJqI9bv0C7I

You don't have to force her to have an abortion; you just have to force the couple to shoulder the financial burden of raising the kid. No incentives, no assistance, no fund raisers... Charity for those to whom it happened not for those who let it happen.

Once there is the social and financial burden ... there will be voluntary abortions.