Most abortion debates build their argument on the definition that the fetus is a person. If this is the case, then abortion is obviously wrong and illegal. The problem with this set up is that what i

According to Thomson, pro-life advocates must change their definition for the right to life because the existing one has false pretenses. By Constitutional law, a woman is a person that has the right to self determination and bodily autonomy. To deny her the choice of abortion, is to deny her right to be a free agent. If we hold the view that given the bare minimum to continue life is a “right”, then Thomson’s famous violinist has the right to use your kidneys in order for him to sustain life. Thus, Thomson argues that the stricter view on “the right to life” is really the “right not to be killed” by anyone. Based on this observation, if we refrain from killing anyone, does it mean the violinist can use our kidneys? The answer is obviously no because we have the right to protect our own happiness and health over the life of a famous violinist. Thus, Thomson “is only arguing that having a right to life does not guarantee having either a right to be given the use of or a right to be allowed continued use of another person’s body—even if one needs it for life itself” (Thomson 130). Branching off that point, it is clear why opponents of abortion cannot use the “right to life” to press their argument because the concept cannot mold itself to all scenarios.

The next problem that needs to be addressed is what if abortion is legalized, how should the fetus be defined? This is difficult because it is arbitrary to claim when or not the fetus is human because by nature there is not a reasonable cut off point. Therefore, claiming that a fetus is a person cannot be used by pro-life advocates because they cannot explain the steps of development from “fetus” to “person”. The same problem can be extended to those who defend abortion because if they say the fetus is not a person, they cannot scientifically prove this either. From my understanding, I believe that Thomson says there is no reasonable way to define a fetus, so maybe the argument of abortion should be in relation to the mother, since she is actually a p

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