No More Bin Laden

[ShadowHM]

Hi,

Begging what question?
... that the child in the womb is not really a child at all.

First, to be clear: "begging the question" is a logical fallacy where one side asks the other to accept an assumption that is logically equivalent to the conclusion that the asking side is trying to prove. Although often used by ignorant people to mean "raising the question", it is not the same thing.

Second, calling a fetus a "child in the womb" is a perfect example of begging the question. The anti-abortion argument that it is wrong to kill a child is hard to dispute. By getting your pro-choice opponents to accept the premise that a fetus is a child, you win the argument by leaving aside the more complex issue of what a fetus is and whether aborting a fetus is justified and under what conditions.

It is similar to the "child pornography is evil because children need protection" crap that floats around. By defining neither 'child' nor 'pornography' until after the opponent has accepted the premise, you win an argument that is nonsense on the face of it. Is a 17 year old a child? Does he become an adult at the stroke of midnight on his 18th birthday? What if he lives near a time zone line. If he crosses that line at 11:00 PM his time and 'becomes' an adult by doing so; engages in a pornographic photo shoot; then crosses the line back at 11:30 PM his original time, are those photos child pornography? Is a picture of a naked baby pornography?

As soon as someone calls a 'fetus' a 'child', I realize that I'm dealing with an unthinking product of some form of indoctrination. At that point, I realize the game is not worth the candle -- the damage done to that brain is as insidious and as permanent as a lobotomy. Unless the person in question is no more than in his mid teens, there is no hope of him ever becoming a logical, rational individual. One cannot have a discussion with such an individual, because the very possibility of a position contrary to his which is not wrong is not a concept his damaged mind can contain or comprehend.

--Pete

Thanks, Pete! That was a much nicer response than I could muster.

I would cut to the "If you feel that strongly about abortion, don't have one. And keep your opinions about my decisions about my body to yourself, because they really are not relevant."

The only person who has a relevant opinion other than the woman who is pregnant is her partner, who has two alternatives: giving her moral support as she makes her decision or getting out of her life, because if he thinks he can control her body, he should be kicked out her life.

Yes, I am rather firm in that opinion. I think it is regrettable that there is a need for abortions at all. I really wish all pregnancies were wanted. But I also wish there was peace on earth and good will in all men too...

That is all I have to say on this matter. Luckily, where I live, I don't need to persuade anyone to see it my way. The status quo reflects that 'if you feel that way, don't have an abortion' attitude.