Moral Status Case Study- Fetal Abnormality

Moral Status Case Study- Fetal Abnormality

Ethics and morality guide people’s behaviors and actions. This guidance applies to all individuals, including professionals at their places of work. People behave and act differently depending on their moral values and ethics. These values are obtained in different ways, including from societal rules and religion. In many cases, religion greatly impacts people’s ethics based on the beliefs shared. Additionally, when people interact, they present the different values they possess, illustrating their morals and morality. Accordingly, as humans interact with people and other living and nonliving things, their actions and behaviors depict their moral obligations. Thus, various factors influence moral status, including humanity, rationality, and sentience (Sebo, 2014).

The Christian view of the nature of human persons stipulates that God created human persons, but they are also created in God’s image (Stahl & Kilner, 2017). This view provides guidance on how people should treat each other as God’s creation with respect and dignity while overlooking every other social construct. Consistently, this view is compatible with moral status. Moral status is the concept by which the treatment of all things, living and nonliving, is established. Several theories consistently contribute to this concept, based on cognitive properties, sentience, human properties, relationships, and moral agency.

All theories of moral status present different concepts (Grand Canyon University, 2020). The moral status theory of cognitive properties stipulates that moral status depends on the absence and presence of cognitive properties. Consequently, the cognitive abilities of a person determine their moral status. The moral status theory of sentience stipulates that moral status is based on the ability to experience sensations and emotions. Consistently, the ability to feel sensations and emotions determines the moral status of a living or nonliving thing. The moral status theory of relationships stipulates that moral status depends on the ability to develop and maintain relationships with others. Finally, the moral status theory of moral agency stipulates that moral status is based on the ability to be a moral agent and differentiate between right and wrong in decisions. The moral status theory of human properties stipulates that moral status is based on the properties of being human, that is, Homo sapiens (Grand Canyon University, 2020). This theory is the most compatible with the Christian view on the nature of human persons based on their being as creations in God’s image, and thus, they obtain the moral status of being dignified and respected. Thus, based on the “image of God” creation, human beings obtain their human value and dignity.

In the case study involving fetal abnormality, the fetus’s moral status is determined by all the individuals involved using the various theories of moral status. Jessica establishes the fetus’s moral status using the moral agency theory, whereby she considers her options using her religion on the value of human life. Marco establishes the fetus’s moral status using the relationship theory by considering Jessica’s position over the fetus. Marco consistently asks Dr. Wilson to give him time to convey the message of the diagnosis to Jessica. Further, Marco also establishes the moral status of the child using the theory of cognitive abilities, establishing that the fetus would be a burden to them due to its disabilities. Maria establishes the moral status of the fetus using human properties theory on the basis of the Christian nature of human beings. Additionally, Maria establishes the moral status of the fetus to Jessica by pointing out that she is the mother, and therefore, due to the theory based on relationships, Jessica is asked to consider her child. Dr. Wilson uses the theory of sentience and cognitive properties to establish the fetus’s moral status by considering the kind of life the child would have and subsequently presents the abortion option to Jessica.

Accordingly, the moral status theories influence the recommendations provided regarding fetal abnormality. Based on the moral agency theory, Jessica considers her options carefully as a mother and as a religious person who believes that life is sacred. Using the cognitive properties theory, Marco determines that a disabled child will be a burden, but Marco decides to support Jessica’s decisions due to the relationship theory. Maria advises Jessica to keep the pregnancy despite the fetal abnormalities for various reasons. This recommendation stems from her Christian beliefs, whereby they believe that all human beings are created in the image of God, illustrating it’s sacred and that all beings should be treated with respect and dignity. Moreover, Maria addresses Jessica with respect to motherhood because of the relationship theory, which establishes that Jessica is obligated to take responsibility for her child as a mother. Dr. Wilson recommends that Jessica should have an abortion because of the sentience and cognitive properties theory. Dr. Wilson considers how the fetus would struggle physically and emotionally with tasks and establishing relationships due to the disabilities. Accordingly, Jessica receives all these recommendations from the parties involved based on each individual’s consideration of the fetus’s moral status.  

The theory I agree with is the moral status theory based on sentience. The moral status of a living and nonliving thing can be established based on the ability to feel sensations. Accordingly, based on this theory, I would recommend Jessica to keep the pregnancy and have her child. Despite the abnormalities, the child could feel sensations and would be aware. Additionally, the fetus is a human being and should, therefore, be treated with respect and dignity.

References

Grand Canyon University (Ed.). (2020). Practicing dignity: An Introduction to Christian values and decision-making in health care.

Sebo, J. (2014). Philosophy – Ethics: Moral Status [DVD]. Wireless Philosophy.

Stahl, D., & Kilner, J. (2017). The image of God, bioethics, and persons with profound intellectual disabilities. Journal of Christian Institute on Disability, 6(1–2), 19-40.

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Assessment Description

Based on “Case Study: Fetal Abnormality” and the required topic Resources, write a 750-1,000-word reflection that answers the following questions:

What is the Christian view of the nature of human persons, and which theory of moral status is it compatible with? How is this related to the intrinsic human value and dignity?

Moral Status Case Study- Fetal Abnormality

Which theory or theories are being used by Jessica, Marco, Maria, and Dr. Wilson to determine the moral status of the fetus? What from the case study specifically leads you to believe that they hold the theory you selected?

How does the theory determine or influence each of their recommendations for action?

What theory do you agree with? Why? How would that theory determine or influence the recommendation for action?