LibProfs Abortion Debate

  Starting in May 1998, there was a high-volume abortion debate on the
LibProfs email list.  I noticed that a number of arguments were brought
up repeatedly, and it occured to me that if each "side" were to 
summarize the now-standard arguments and counter-arguments, the debate
might proceed more efficiently (and with much less volume).

  This page hosts the results of that suggestion.

  Regarding choice of labels ... the standard labels, 'pro-choice' and
'pro-life', seem to me not quite right.  For instance, it would seem
that in this particular debate one necessarily must choose one life
over that of the other, e.g., 'pro-woman's-life' or 'pro-fetus'-life'.
I thought that better labels might be 'pro-woman' and 'pro-fetus', but
that also brought an objection.  Below I decided to focus on the main
issue from a political perspective, that of legal or illegal abortion.

  Note: It is well-known by list members that I support legal abortion
at all stages of pregnancy and of the birth process, by any method,
including so-called 'partial birth abortions', so some might wonder why
I'd be willing to host a document on my web page advocating criminalizing 
abortion from the moment of conception.  Simple: I'd like to see the 
very best case "the opposition" can come up with, and then to see that 
case answered fully.  If that can't yet be done, then it needs to be
displayed prominently, pictures and all, to inspire better efforts to
refute it.  And if after significant time no one has yet refuted it,
and it's looking as if in fact it is the better position, then I will
be the first to have the best position on my web page ;-).
  In this spirit, I believe libertarians ought similarly to post the
very best of the statist/anti-libertarian/welfare-state arguments, so 
that our triumph will be the more resounding and complete when we succeed
in refuting the very best arguments of "the opposition".

  Disclaimer: I offer this web page not as a UCSD employee, but as a 
private individual availing himself of the university's "personal use"
policy. The views expressed here have no necessary connection with those 
of the university, its faculty, staff, students, alumni, etc.

Position statements:

Pro-legal-abortion

• Chapter 9: Abortion, Jan Narveson 1
• Embryos on the Shelf? God and Abortion, Jan Narveson 2
• Legal abortion only for mindless embryos, Fred Foldvary
• Abortion discussion: neurological considerations, John McPherson 1
• Pro-choice and Pro-life: an attempted synthesis, John McPherson 2
• A 'Pro-Life' Police State? some legal consequences of outlawing abortions, John McPherson 3

Anti-legal-abortion

• Pro-life Policy: A Perspective for Liberty and Human Rights, John Cobin

Rebuttals:

Pro-legal-abortion

Anti-legal-abortion

• reply to Narveson 1, Eric Schansberg 1
• reply to Narveson 2, Eric Schansberg 2
• reply to Narveson 1, Joseph Fulda

Counter-rebuttals:

Pro-legal-abortion

• counter-reply to Fulda, Jan Narveson

Anti-legal-abortion