Human Non-persons, Feticide, and the Erosion of Dignity

Abstract

Feticide, the practice of terminating the life of an otherwise viable fetus in utero, has become an increasingly common practice in obstetric centres around the globe, a concomitant of antenatal screening technologies. This paper examines this expanding practice in light of the concept of human dignity. Although it is assumed from the outset that even viable human fetuses are not persons and as such do not enjoy full membership in the moral community, it is argued that the fact that these are nevertheless human fetuses affords them prima facie moral status. Thus even those who accept a liberal position with regard to therapeutic abortion, should be concerned about these more recent developments. Indeed, how we treat viable human fetuses has implications for our prospective treatment of other human non-persons and could undermine the common human dignity we all share.

The death of dignity is greatly exaggerated: Reflections 15 years after the declaration of dignity as a useless concept

“…Pullman divides basic and personal dignity, and uses the elasticity of the former to explain the ambiguity and vagueness of dignity and to warn against undermining expansion of basic dignity (in the case of fetocide). 17 Carlo Leget uses the history of the concept of dignity to identify two versions of dignity in Roman Antiquity. The first is a practical and social meaning of dignity according to which the concept is used to establish a practice that sustains a certain social order.…”

Comparison of the Concept of Patient Dignity in Islamic and Nursing Texts

“…For example, there is a kind of dignity achieved by individuals due to their exceptional capabilities and high social status 4,7,8,11,25,42 In fact, nursing theories emphasize maintaining, upgrading, improving, and treating these two kinds of dignity. Therefore, patient respect should include aspects that directly affect their intrinsic and extrinsic dignity 27,40,41,44,[49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58] .…”

“…It is unanimously stated in all texts that, in nursing, this kind of dignity should not be the basis for respecting patients9,[43][44][45][46][47][48] . On the other hand, some nursing texts have divided the concept of dignity into intrinsic (i.e., what one feels for himself/herself) and extrinsic dignity (i.e., what others create in him/her)27,40,41,44,[49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58] .…”

Early Pregnancy Losses: Multiple Meanings and Moral Considerations

“…Furthermore, since we are discussing pregnancy losses before a fetus is sentient, then it was not a loss experienced by the embryo or early fetus, as the capacity for conscious experience emerges in the third trimester (Lee et al , discussed in endnote 3). If one believes that even unviable embryos and early fetuses are beings with dignity because human (Pullman ) or ensouled, then even in these cases, loss of a being with dignity or a soul has occurred.…”