If we look to our laws in society we must look to see what produces the greatest outcome. Not in a structural sense, but rather to see what has worked and what has not. We can look towards history and the current effects of our laws to see how we can bring the greatest happiness to our people assuming that is the goal of the government and the laws it produces. I have deemed this the greatest happiness principle. Under this principle, we can better create common ground and thus conversation, hopefully, a productive one.
Under this perspective, I write about the recent law concerning restrictions of abortions after the first 6 weeks. Firstly, I will do away with any categorical definitions of whether one has a right to their body, or if the unborn has a right to life. Such definitions restrict the conversation allowing for no common ground. Also these definitions allow for sentiment which is fair as long as we look at the underlying utility. In order to reasonably evaluate such a law we must look at what similar laws have done and the outcomes.
Laws restricting abortion will indubitably have negative consequences for women. These consequences are not short-lived, but more importantly long term. Simply put, “Women who received an abortion were 50 percent more likely to set an aspirational plan and achieve it.” Also, concerning the health of the women, they report more serious complications from birth than they do from abortions with “six percent of women who gave birth compared to 1 percent of women who received an abortion reported a potentially life-threatening condition…”. Such risks do not only put the women at risk but leaves the man/woman potentially without a partner. Branching further, these risks stretch to the children. Without proper financial support, kids will be left in poverty and without opportunity.
With these concerns in mind, we look towards the utility of abortions weighed with their outcomes. The utility of abortion provides pleasure to the woman assuming it is her choice. Furthermore, it provides pleasure to society as a whole if it can keep children from poverty, men/women with spouses, and more women alive. In doing so, we can create a society that builds and has better opportunities instead of one that crowds and overfills opportunities. With education, we can have a greater capacity to live and see the world. These effects can create a greater society, a happier one. These effects are not realized today, but looking at statistics and effects of the consequences of these issues it is clear we need to allow for greater freedoms when it comes to abortions.
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2019/05/414551/more-states-restrict-abortions-research-points-negative-health-outcomes-women