Abortion: Three Perspectives (Point/Counterpoint (Oxford))
by Michael Tooley, Celia Wolf-Devine, Philip E. Devine, Alison M. Jaggar
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alison M. Jaggar, Celia Wolf-Devine, Michael Tooley, Philip E. DevineEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-01-13
ISBN: 0195308956
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of Abortion: Three Perspectives (Point/Counterpoint (Oxford))
Book Review: Incredibly uneven. Shouldn't have gone to press in its current state.
Summary: 3 Stars
I like the structure of the book. The idea was to let three groups represent three takes on the abortion issue and then to let them interact with one another. What I didn't like was the execution. In a volume like this, it's natural to have someone make the case that abortion is impermissible in a wide range of circumstances. The authors charged with this task did a horrible job of doing that. Their arguments didn't have the sophistication of opponents of abortion like Don Marquis. The entry defending the conservative approach was written by a pair of authors who either couldn't or wouldn't honestly engage the entries written by Tooley and by Jaggar. Luckily, Tooley and Jaggar had a chance to respond. They did so by simply quoting themselves and pointing out that Devine and Wolf-Devine took their words out of context in order to attack them. The result is embarrassing. If I were thinking about assigning this text in a class, I think it would be a good idea to skip the section defending the conservative side and read Marquis' classic "Why Abortion is Immoral" instead.
I don't know why this volume was allowed to go to press as it stands. I give it three stars because the other contributors to this volume did a fair job presenting their take on the abortion debate. It's a shame that the volume as it stands doesn't have anyone competently defending the conservative position. (That's not my position, by the way, but it would be nice if the reader could see after reading this text why many say that this is a complicated issue that honest and intelligent people can disagree about.)
If this isn't a text assigned as part of a course and you are looking for a good introduction to the philosophical debate, I would recommend Rosalind Hursthouse's _Virtue Theory and Abortion_. She provides a nice overview of the philosophical terrain and defends a nuanced view that challenges the standard conservative and liberal positions you'll come across outside of the philosophical literature.
Summary of Abortion: Three Perspectives (Point/Counterpoint (Oxford))
Moving beyond traditional "liberal versus conservative" arguments for and against abortion, Abortion: Three Perspectives is an up-to-date, accessible, and engaging exploration of this highly contentious issue. Featuring a triangular debate between four prominent moral and political philosophers, it presents three different political perspectives: Michael Tooley argues the "liberal" pro-choice approach; Philip E. Devine and Celia Wolf-Devine argue the "communitarian" pro-life approach; and Alison M. Jaggar argues the "gender justice" approach. However, each of the authors' self-identifications is also challenged by one or more of the other authors, who offer alternative interpretations of liberalism, communitarianism, and feminism, as well as of what it means to be pro-choice and pro-life. All of these viewpoints are controversial, among both philosophers and general readers. Furthermore, because the arguments do not rely on religious authority, they are directed at all readers, regardless of religious affiliation.Abortion: Three Perspectives is divided into two parts: the authors first develop their ideas in depth and then briefly critique the other positions. Drawing examples from real life, they also integrate logic and empirical data into their arguments and consider views of abortion across other disciplines. As philosophers, the authors possess expert skills in critical analysis; their debates provide students and other readers with a model of dialogue among those who very strongly disagree. Abortion: Three Perspectives is ideal for courses in contemporary moral problems, introduction to ethics, bioethics, medical ethics, and feminist philosophy.
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