Religion

• When analysing markets, a range of assumptions are made about the rationality of economic agents involved in the transactions
• The Wealth of Nations was written

  1776
• Rational


  (in classical economic theory) economic agents are able to consider the outcome of their choices and recognise the net benefits of each one
• Rational agents will select the choice which presents the highest benefits
• Consumers act rationally by


  Maximising their utility
• Producers act rationally by


  Selling goods/services in a way that maximises their profits
• Workers act rationally by


  Balancing welfare at work with consideration of both pay and benefits
• Governments act rationally by


  Placing the interests of the people they serve first in order to maximise their welfare
• Rationality in classical economic theory is a flawed assumption as people usually don't act rationally
• A firm increases advertising

  Demand curve shifts right
• Demand curve shifting right

  Increases the equilibrium price and quantity
• Marginal utility


  The additional utility (satisfaction) gained from the consumption of an additional product
• If you add up marginal utility for each unit you get total utility
• Rationality


  (in classical economic theory) economic agents are able to consider the outcome of their choices and recognise the net benefits of each one
• Churches need to accept that it is every woman's right to have a safe and legal abortion.: 'Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer.'
• Candidates may give specific references to biblical or church teaching in opposition of abortion.
• Churches should accept that women need access to abortion


  • In order to have full rights over their own bodies, including the right to decide whether or not to give birth
  • A woman might not be able to cope with having a child if she has been raped, too young or if there are health risks
  • Churches need to show compassion in cases such as these
  • A foetus is only a potential human being but there can be no doubt about the humanity of the mother
• Some people argue that all human life is of equal value


  • Even a foetus or an embryo has a right to life
  • A foetus is not just a part of a woman's body but is a unique and individual human being
  • Churches are right to emphasise the importance of all human life and stand against any attempts to undermine this
  • Abortion is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being; killing is always wrong
• Pope John Paul II 1995: 'The direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely immoral.'
• Pope John Paul II 1965: 'Life must be respected with the utmost care from the moment of conception. Abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.'
• Mother Teresa: 'If you do make a mistake don't destroy life...because also to that child God says, I have called you by your name, I have carried you in the palm of my hand'
• Pope Francis 2016: 'I wish to restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life...I can and must state that there is no sin that God's mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the father.'
• Roman Catholics believe that abortion is morally wrong


  • They believe human life begins from the moment of conception, so therefore termination is viewed as murder of a human life
  • They believe that having an abortion is the same as killing an innocent person on the streets
• Pope Pius IX declared that all abortions were murder as human life began at conception.


  1869
• Catholic Church decided that it was not a sin if the woman was suffering from a life threatening illness.


  1930
• Presbyterian Church


  • The scriptures leave us in no doubt that from its earliest days in the womb, the unborn child is fully human, a person made in the image of God
  • Abortion is justified when pregnancy endangers the life of the mother
  • Not convinced that abortion is justified on the basis that an unborn child has a life-limiting condition though their paper does address the complexities of the condition of anencephaly
• Anglican Church 1958 Committee Report: 'In the strongest terms, Christians reject the practice of induced abortion.'
• Anglican Church March 1998


  The deliberate termination of an intrauterine life cannot be right but many in our church believe that exceptional cases may arise which mean that abortion ought to be an option and may even be a necessity in a few very rare cases. No abortion is ever desirable – at most it can only be described as the lesser of two evils, and always undertaken with a profound sense of sadness and regret...
• Anglican Church General Synod 1982: 'We cannot emphasise to strongly the right to life and this includes the life of the yet unborn.'
• Methodist Church in Ireland December 2012


  We believe that abortion on demand is wrong. We believe that a foetus cannot be regarded as just an appendage of the mother's body, but that as it develops through the various stages of gestation, so it should progressively be accorded rights culminating with full respect as an individual on birth...However, we also believe that abortion is a permissible choice in a small number of very specific cases, in particular: where the mother's life is at risk; where there is risk of grave injury to the physical or mental health of the mother; in cases of incest or rape; in cases of gross abnormality of the foetus (e.g. anencephaly) or otherwise where it is incapable of survival.
• Methodist Church in Ireland December 2012

  The worth of the human race itself hinges on reverence for human life at every stage...but a right to life does not mean an absolute right...The life of the mother, whose survival may be crucial because care for existing family heavily depend on her...would have priority over that of the foetus
• Indirect abortion


  • The Church slant today would be in the cases of e.g. cancerous, but pregnant uterus or ectopic pregnancy
  • The life of the mother is an essential priority, but there is no deliberate termination of the unborn child – this comes as a 'natural' result of operations needed to save the mother's life
  • These cases are referred to as 'Therapeutic Abortion' – where there is a threat to the mother's life
• Doctrine of Double Effect

  • The aim of removing the foetus is to save the mother's life and not to kill the foetus (removal of the fallopian tube)
  • Chemotherapy is not given to kill the foetus, but to kill the cancer, so the death of foetus is a secondary unintended effect
• Islam


  • Sanctity of life is valued
  • Many Muslims will accept abortion in certain circumstances as lesser of two evils
• Judaism


  • Foetus is not considered a person until birth
  • Prior to that – part of mother's body; though should be respected as it has characteristics of a person
  • Does allow for abortion; mother's life takes precedence over life of foetus
  • Would not allow abortion on demand
• Rape


  To force a person to have sex against his or her will
• Disability


  A physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, sense or activities
• Contraception


  The deliberate use of methods or other techniques to prevent pregnancy
• Adoption


  The legal process by which a child gains new parents other than his or her birth parents
• Rights of the father


  • To what extent do the father's preferences count in making this decision?
  • Mother actually gives birth, fathers don't
  • Society usually places primary responsibility on the mother
  • Fathers don't even always know they are fathers; mothers always do