Judith Thomson argues that abortion can be morally permissible. She is a well- respected bioethicist. So abortion must be permissible sometimes.
A) Inappropriate appeal to authority; the source is not an authority on the subject
B) Inappropriate appeal to authority; the accuracy of the source's observation is questionable
C) Inappropriate appeal to authority; source has been cited incorrectly
D) Inappropriate appeal to authority; this issue cannot be settled by expert opinion
E) No fallacy

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The argument commits the fallacy of inappropriate appeal to authority by suggesting that because a respected bioethicist believes abortion can be morally permissible, it must be so. However, moral issues like abortion involve subjective values and ethical principles that cannot be conclusively settled by expert opinion alone.

Judith Thomson Argues That Abortion Can Be Morally Permissible