, PLS3701 October November EXAM (COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2025 - DUE 5 November 2025 18:00 PM ; 100% correct
solutions and explanations.
SECTION A: BIOMEDICAL ETHICS
QUESTION 1: Ethical Arguments for and Against the Termination
of Pregnancy
Introduction
The termination of pregnancy, commonly known as abortion, is one of the most debated issues in
biomedical ethics. It raises profound questions about the moral status of the foetus, the autonomy
of the pregnant woman, and the responsibilities of the community and the state. Ethical
evaluation of abortion requires balancing competing moral claims: the right of a woman to
control her body and the right of the foetus to life. Western bioethics typically approaches this
issue through universal principles such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and
justice, while African communitarian ethics, as articulated by philosophers such as Ifeanyi
Menkiti and Kwame Gyekye, emphasizes the relational and communal nature of personhood.
This essay examines the ethical arguments for and against abortion, evaluates them using
normative ethical theories, and explores how African conceptions of personhood challenge or
support dominant Western bioethical principles like autonomy and dignity.
Ethical Arguments in Favour of Termination of Pregnancy
Supporters of abortion generally base their arguments on the principle of autonomy and the
rights of women to make decisions about their own bodies. From this perspective, forcing a
woman to carry a pregnancy to term against her will is a violation of her bodily integrity and
personal freedom. A central claim in Western bioethics is that moral agents must have the right
to self-determination, provided their decisions do not unjustifiably harm others.
Another strong argument in favour of abortion is based on beneficence and non-maleficence—
that is, the duty to promote well-being and avoid harm. Pregnancy can threaten a woman’s
physical or mental health, particularly in cases of rape, incest, or medical complications. In such
circumstances, abortion may be justified to prevent greater suffering.
The justice argument further supports access to safe and legal abortion as an issue of equality.
Restrictive abortion laws often disproportionately harm poor and marginalized women, forcing
them to seek unsafe procedures. Allowing abortion promotes fairness and social justice by giving
all women equal access to healthcare and reproductive choice.
Semester 2 2025 - DUE 5 November 2025 18:00 PM ; 100% correct
solutions and explanations.
SECTION A: BIOMEDICAL ETHICS
QUESTION 1: Ethical Arguments for and Against the Termination
of Pregnancy
Introduction
The termination of pregnancy, commonly known as abortion, is one of the most debated issues in
biomedical ethics. It raises profound questions about the moral status of the foetus, the autonomy
of the pregnant woman, and the responsibilities of the community and the state. Ethical
evaluation of abortion requires balancing competing moral claims: the right of a woman to
control her body and the right of the foetus to life. Western bioethics typically approaches this
issue through universal principles such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and
justice, while African communitarian ethics, as articulated by philosophers such as Ifeanyi
Menkiti and Kwame Gyekye, emphasizes the relational and communal nature of personhood.
This essay examines the ethical arguments for and against abortion, evaluates them using
normative ethical theories, and explores how African conceptions of personhood challenge or
support dominant Western bioethical principles like autonomy and dignity.
Ethical Arguments in Favour of Termination of Pregnancy
Supporters of abortion generally base their arguments on the principle of autonomy and the
rights of women to make decisions about their own bodies. From this perspective, forcing a
woman to carry a pregnancy to term against her will is a violation of her bodily integrity and
personal freedom. A central claim in Western bioethics is that moral agents must have the right
to self-determination, provided their decisions do not unjustifiably harm others.
Another strong argument in favour of abortion is based on beneficence and non-maleficence—
that is, the duty to promote well-being and avoid harm. Pregnancy can threaten a woman’s
physical or mental health, particularly in cases of rape, incest, or medical complications. In such
circumstances, abortion may be justified to prevent greater suffering.
The justice argument further supports access to safe and legal abortion as an issue of equality.
Restrictive abortion laws often disproportionately harm poor and marginalized women, forcing
them to seek unsafe procedures. Allowing abortion promotes fairness and social justice by giving
all women equal access to healthcare and reproductive choice.
