Abortion & Unborn Human Life

Since 1990 WHEN the first edition of Abortion and Unborn Human Life appeared, the debate about the morality of abortion has not subsided. From the standpoint of philosophy many issues have become clearer. Accordingly, Patrick Lee confirms his position that unborn human beings have an equal and inherent dignity and are subjects of basic rights from the moment of fertilization. In a calm and philosophically sophisticated manner, he presents a powerful case for the pro-life position and a serious challenge to all of the main philosophical arguments on behalf of the pro-choice position. Lee's method is strictly philosophical, with special attention given to authors in the broadly analytical school of thought. In this second edition, Lee provides significant updates in view of recent developments.

"Readers looking for a succinct and narrowly defined philosophical argument against abortion will find this book appealing. It is useful as a review of the past several decades of philosophical debate on abortion, and it may help readers understand how lines get drawn in such philosophical debate."

"A very good book on the abortion question. Lee's methods are rigorous and exact, his writing accessibly clear. This book is, therefore, an especially welcome contribution to a field of enquiry in which these two qualities are rarely found in combination."

PATRICK LEE holds the John N. and Jamie D. McAleer Chair of Bio ethics and is the director of the Institute of Bioethics at Franciscan University Steubenville. He is known nationally as a keynote speaker and author of contemporary ethics, especially on controversies regarding human life and marriage. Lee is the coauthor of Body-Self Dualism in Contemporary Ethics and Politics, and the author of numerous published articles.