Abstract:

The problem of abortions is discussed worldwide. The question of abortion legalization is topical in many developing countries. The article considers the history of abortion debates in the USA, the UK and West-European countries in 1950-1960. The analysis of arguments of pro-lifers and pro-choice movements in abortion debates of western countries has shown that pro-life opinion is often based on deontological ethics while pro-choice opinion is based on utilitarian ethics. The authors put forward the idea that there is a correlation between people’s attitudes toward abortions (pro-life / pro-choice) and ethical theory (deontology / utilitarianism) they apply dealing with the problem of abortions.

We have analyzed essays regarding the legalization of abortions on request (LAR) of 56 foreign students studying bioethics in Peoples’ friendship university of Russia during the 2014-2015 academic year. The research shows a significant correlation (r = 0, 53) between attitudes toward LAR and ethical theory used in argumentation of the students in their essays. The research has limitations caused by cultural and social particularities of participants and it does not show if the attitudes depend on ethical theory applied to the consideration of the issue or vice versa.

Keywords:

Attitudes toward abortion, unsafe abortions, illegal abortion, utilitarianism, deontology.