Question 1

At about twenty-three or twenty-four weeks,the fetus may be able to live outside the uterus,a state referred to as:
A)variability.
B)sustainability.
C)viability.
D)quickening.

Accepted Answer

Viability refers to the ability of the fetus to survive outside the uterus, usually around 23-24 weeks of gestation. Variability refers to the differences in fetal heart rate. Sustainability is not a term used to describe fetal development. Quickening refers to the moment when the mother first feels fetal movement, usually around 16-20 weeks gestation.

Question 2

An abortion specifically performed to protect the life or health of the mother is referred to as:
A)induced abortion.
B)spontaneous abortion.
C)maternal abortion.
D)therapeutic abortion.

Accepted Answer

A therapeutic abortion is specifically performed to protect the life or health of the mother. Induced and spontaneous abortions refer to all other types of abortions. Maternal abortion is not a commonly used term in medical practice.

Question 3

The deliberate termination of a pregnancy by surgical or medical (with drugs)means is known generally as:
A)therapeutic abortion.
B)trimester abortion.
C)abortion,or induced abortion.
D)spontaneous abortion.

Accepted Answer

This is the most accurate and commonly used term for the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. "Therapeutic abortion" is a specific type of induced abortion performed for medical reasons, and "trimester abortion" refers to the time period during which the abortion is performed (first, second, or third trimester). "Spontaneous abortion" is a term used for a miscarriage, which is the natural termination of a pregnancy.

Question 4

The beginning of fetal development when a sperm cell enters an ovum and the two merge into a single cell called a zygote is known as:
A)viability.
B)conception.
C)quickening.
D)blastocyst.

Accepted Answer

Conception is the beginning stage of fetal development when a sperm enters an ovum and the two combine to form a single cell, known as a zygote. This marks the start of pregnancy.

Question 5

The liberal argues that if the unborn is not a person until birth,and it is wrong to kill a person,then:
A)infanticide is permissible.
B)abortion before birth would be permissible.
C)abortion before birth would not be the killing of an innocent person.
D)abortion is permissible before and after birth.

Accepted Answer

Abortion before birth would not be the killing of an innocent person because the unborn is not a person until birth.

Question 6

Mary Anne Warren suggests that being genetically human is:
A)not the same thing as being a person in the moral sense.
B)the same thing as being a person in the moral sense.
C)the prerequisite for having full moral rights.
D)not important in any sense.

Accepted Answer

Mary Anne Warren's argument is that being genetically human is not the same as being a person in the moral sense. She believes that there are certain criteria that must be met in order for an entity to be considered a person with full moral rights, such as consciousness, rationality, and self-awareness. Therefore, being genetically human alone is not enough to confer moral rights.

Question 7

An act-utilitarian would say that an abortion is morally right if:
A)following a particular rule resulted in more happiness than following any other rule.
B)the fetus is a person.
C)others believe the abortion is justified.
D)a particular action results in the greatest overall happiness,everyone considered.

Accepted Answer

According to act-utilitarianism, the moral rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by its ability to produce the greatest overall happiness for everyone affected by it (referred to as the principle of utility). Therefore, an act-utilitarian would say that an abortion is morally right if it is determined to result in the greatest overall happiness for everyone involved (including the pregnant person and those closest to them, as well as the potential child). The other options (A, B, and C) are not necessarily relevant to act-utilitarianism's evaluation of the morality of an action.

Question 8

Judith Jarvis Thomson's position is argued without:
A)reference to the rights of women.
B)relying on thought experiments.
C)admitting that the fetus has a right to life.
D)relying on the issue of personhood.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Judith Jarvis Thomson's position is argued without:
A)reference...

Question 9

Consider this argument: If the fetus is a person from the moment of conception,and abortion is the killing of a person,isn't abortion in all forms morally wrong? This is primarily a ________ question.
A)legal
B)scientific
C)moral
D)government policy

Accepted Answer

The argument presented is about the morality of abortion and whether it is considered wrong to kill a person in all forms. It does not deal with legal or government policy issues, and while there may be scientific aspects to the debate, the central question is primarily a moral one.

Question 10

The view that the fetus becomes a person at quickening is problematic because:
A)the phenomenon of quickening is an illusion.
B)quickening is largely a function of modern medical know-how.
C)quickening signals a quantum jump in the sentience of the fetus.
D)quickening signifies nothing that can be plausibly linked to personhood.

Accepted Answer

Quickening, the first perceptible movement of the fetus by the mother, does not signify any objective marker of moral relevance that could be used to attribute moral status or to define personhood. It varies among women and cultures, and it is influenced by factors such as diet, stress, and parity. Therefore, quickening cannot be a reliable basis for determining the moral status of the fetus, as it is arbitrary and subject to different interpretations.

Question 11

The moderate rejects the claim(s)that:
A)abortions are never permissible.
B)abortions are almost never permissible as well as the notion that they almost always are.
C)both the conservative and the liberal make plausible points.
D)abortion may be justified in more cases than conservatives would allow and fewer than liberals would like.

Accepted Answer

The moderate rejects the extreme positions held by both conservatives and liberals. Therefore, they do not agree that abortion is almost always never permissible (conservative view) or almost always permissible (liberal view). Instead, the moderate believes that the issue is more complex and nuanced, and that the morality of abortion depends on the specific circumstances. Therefore, option B accurately reflects the moderate's stance.

Question 12

The conservative can argue that Mary Anne Warren's view of personhood leads to an absurdity: if a fetus is not a person,then neither is a newborn-thus killing a newborn would be:
A)immoral.
B)permissible.
C)not permissible.
D)no worse than killing a cat.

Accepted Answer

Mary Anne Warren's criteria for personhood focus on characteristics like consciousness and reasoning, which a newborn may not fully possess. Thus, by her criteria, if a fetus is not a person, a newborn might not be either, making killing a newborn theoretically permissible.

Question 13

John T.Noonan argues that the fetus is a person from the moment of conception because:
A)a potential person is a true person.
B)Thomson's argument fails.
C)at conception the fetus becomes sentient.
D)at conception the fetus receives the genetic code.

Accepted Answer

John T. Noonan argues that the fetus is a person from the moment of conception because at that moment, the fetus receives its unique genetic code, which determines all of its physical and biological characteristics. This genetic code is what makes the fetus a distinct human being and therefore a person.

Question 14

According to Mary Anne Warren's criteria for personhood,a self-motivated space alien that was conscious,able to reason and communicate,and was self-aware would be:
A)a person.
B)not a person.
C)unclassifiable.
D)morally equivalent to an Earth primate.

Accepted Answer

According to Mary Anne Warren's criteria, a being needs to possess these five characteristics to qualify as a person: 1) consciousness, 2) reasoning ability, 3) self-motivation, 4) the capacity to communicate, and 5) self-awareness. Therefore, as the self-motivated space alien possesses all of these characteristics, they would be considered a person.

Question 15

The liberal position is that:
A)both abortion and infanticide should be legal.
B)abortion is always (or almost always)permissible.
C)abortion is permissible anytime because it is not always wrong to kill a person.
D)abortion is permissible after the second trimester.

Accepted Answer

The liberal position on abortion is that it is always (or almost always) permissible, meaning that a woman has the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion. This is based on the belief that a woman has the right to control her own body and make her own decisions about her health and well-being. This position allows for the possibility of restrictions and regulations on abortion, but ultimately supports a woman's right to choose.

Question 16

In Roe v.Wade,the Court ruled that:
A)all abortions at any stage of pregnancy are permissible.
B)in the first three months of pregnancy,a state may regulate (but not ban)abortion;after viability,a state may forbid abortions,even those necessary to preserve the health or life of the woman.
C)in the first three months of pregnancy,the woman's right to an abortion is unrestricted;after this period,a state may regulate and even forbid abortions.
D)in the first three months of pregnancy,the woman's right to an abortion is unrestricted;after this period,a state may regulate (but not ban)abortion;after viability,a state may regulate and even forbid abortions,except when abortion is necessary to preserve the health or life of the woman.

Accepted Answer

In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruled that in the first three months of pregnancy, the woman's right to an abortion is unrestricted. After this period, a state may regulate (but not ban) abortion. However, after viability, a state may regulate and even forbid abortions unless it is necessary to preserve the health or life of the woman. This ruling has been modified by subsequent Supreme Court decisions, but the core of the ruling remains intact.

Question 17

The risk of death for women who have an abortion at eight weeks or earlier is:
A)0.6 deaths per 100,000 abortions.
B)one death per one million abortions.
C)one death per 1,000 abortions.
D)one death per 10,000 abortions.

Accepted Answer

The risk of death for women who have an abortion at eight weeks or earlier is extremely low, approximately one death per one million abortions.

Question 18

Most abortions are performed in the:
A)first twelve weeks of gestation.
B)period just after viability.
C)first three weeks.
D)period just before viability.

Accepted Answer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the majority of abortions (91.1%) in the United States are performed at or before 13 weeks of gestation, with 67.3% occurring at or before 8 weeks. Therefore, the correct choice is A, first twelve weeks of gestation.

Question 19

In arguments over abortion,both the conservative and the liberal agree on the following premise:
A)abortion is the killing of an innocent person.
B)abortion before birth would not be the killing of an innocent person.
C)it is wrong to kill an innocent person.
D)the unborn is not a person until birth (and thus does not have a right to life).

Accepted Answer

Both sides in the abortion debate agree that it is wrong to kill an innocent person. This premise is central to the argument against abortion from a pro-life perspective, as they assert that the unborn fetus is a person with a right to life. However, even from a pro-choice perspective, it is often acknowledged that killing an innocent person is wrong, and that the decision to have an abortion is a difficult ethical choice precisely because it involves weighing the competing interests of the mother and the potential personhood of the fetus. Therefore, C is the correct answer. The other options either present a false dichotomy between views or assume a particular perspective on the issue.

Question 20

Consider this argument: The unborn is an innocent person from conception;it is wrong to kill an innocent person;abortion is the killing of an innocent person;therefore,abortion is wrong.If the premises are true,then the argument is:
A)valid but not sound.
B)sound.
C)cogent.
D)invalid.

Accepted Answer

The argument is both valid and sound. It is valid because the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises, and it is sound because all of the premises are true. Therefore, the argument is both logically sound and factually correct.

Quiz 8: Abortion

At about twenty-three or twenty-four weeks,the fetus may be able to live outside the uterus,a state referred to as:

An abortion specifically performed to protect the life or health of the mother is referred to as:

The deliberate termination of a pregnancy by surgical or medical (with drugs) means is known generally as:

The beginning of fetal development when a sperm cell enters an ovum and the two merge into a single cell called a zygote is known as:

The liberal argues that if the unborn is not a person until birth,and it is wrong to kill a person,then:

Mary Anne Warren suggests that being genetically human is:

An act-utilitarian would say that an abortion is morally right if:

Judith Jarvis Thomson's position is argued without:

Consider this argument: If the fetus is a person from the moment of conception,and abortion is the killing of a person,isn't abortion in all forms morally wrong? This is primarily a ________ question.

The view that the fetus becomes a person at quickening is problematic because:

The moderate rejects the claim(s) that:

The conservative can argue that Mary Anne Warren's view of personhood leads to an absurdity: if a fetus is not a person,then neither is a newborn-thus killing a newborn would be:

John T.Noonan argues that the fetus is a person from the moment of conception because:

According to Mary Anne Warren's criteria for personhood,a self-motivated space alien that was conscious,able to reason and communicate,and was self-aware would be:

The liberal position is that:

In Roe v.Wade,the Court ruled that:

The risk of death for women who have an abortion at eight weeks or earlier is:

Most abortions are performed in the:

In arguments over abortion,both the conservative and the liberal agree on the following premise:

Consider this argument: The unborn is an innocent person from conception;it is wrong to kill an innocent person;abortion is the killing of an innocent person;therefore,abortion is wrong.If the premises are true,then the argument is: