"What is abortion?

I think it would take a knowledge more than human to read the heart and intention, but it does not take more than human reason to define the act. So since we are both human beings, let us embark on that task now, if you please."

- Dr. Peter Kreeft

Socrates: First, is abortion a case of killing?

Abortionist: Terminating a pregnancy.

Socrates: Is the fetus killed?

Abortionist: I do not like that emotional term.

Socrates: Your likes and dislikes are emotions, are they not?

Abortionist: Of course.

Socrates: Then it is you who are treating the term emotionally rather than rationally.

Abortionist: Only because they started it.

Socrates: Should we appeal to reason?

Abortionist: Certainly.

Socrates: Now, rationally, what does 'killing' mean?

Abortionist: I suppose it means forcibly putting a live organism to death.

Socrates: And is abortion's object a live organism?

Abortionist: Of course.

Socrates: And is the term of the process its death?

Abortionist: Yes.

Socrates: Is the death forcible?

Abortionist: Yes.

Abortionist: Yes, but not murder.

Socrates: This is yet to be decided. Now to what definition of murder did we agree?

Abortionist: We agreed that murder is the 'killing of an innocent human being.'

Socrates: Fine. Now let us see whether abortion comes under that definition.

Socrates: First, we have agreed that abortion is killing, have we not?

Abortionist: Yes.

Socrates: Second, is the fetus that is killed guilty of any crime or innocent?

Abortionist: Not guilty, of course. But you can't call it innocent either unless it is a person.

Socrates: But if it is a person, it would be innocent?

Abortionist: If... yes.

Socrates: Then if the fetus is a human being, abortion will have to be called murder, for it fits all three parts of the definition.

Abortionist: Why all this shilly-shallying about words, Socrates?

Abortionist: It's quite simple, really. Abortion is not murder because a fetus is *not* person. Abortion is not killing a human being; it's helping a human being terminate an unwanted pregnancy. That's all.

Socrates: You seem to be a bit impatient.

Abortionist: Frankly, I am impatient with all this word play. And I am also impatient with the direction in which you have turned the argument: focusing on the fetus rather than the mother.

Socrates: I had hoped that it was not I but our common master that led us to this point.

Abortionist: Our common master? What do you mean?

Socrates: Did we not agree to be rational? And being rational means following reason, following the argument wherever it leads, not following me or following you.

Interested to see where the conversation goes from here between Socrates and an abortionist? Pick up this book today... it is a fascinating look at how a productive conversation should take place surrounding this issue. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877848106/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Vk-3Db4BFQ2QB