Abortion: Autonomy

In a followup to my previous post, I decided that I would clarify my position on abortion, with a quick review as to some of the principals involved.

Autonomy
This is the most important core principal to the abortion debate. All human have a right to autonomy that pretty much supersedes all other considerations. When one person's right to autonomy would violate the rights of someone else, we have a conflict of rights. Can the right to autonomy ever be lost? Possibly yes, but it should be a solution of the last resort.

In terms of medicine, the right to medical autonomy is very strong in the Western world. Medical autonomy is why Jehovah's Witness' are not forced to receive transfusions against their will. Autonomy is why anyone can refuse the treatment prescribed by a doctor. Autonomy is the driving force behind DNR orders.

In the abortion debate, the pro-choice side believes that the autonomy of the mother is an important principle, while the anti-abortion side believes that the fetus has some rights to autonomy.