Hell, Threshold Deontology, and Abortion

Philosophia Christi 12 (1):80-101 (2010)
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Abstract

In this paper, I argue that Threshold-Hell Christianity conflicts with the pro-life position on abortion. The specific type of Christianity is that which also accepts threshold deontology and the existence of hell. Threshold deontology is the view that ordinarily moral duties consist of nonconsequentialist side-constraints on the pursuit of the good but that in some cases these side-constraints are overridden. My strategy is to establish that a person who brings about an abortion guarantees that the aborted individual goes to heaven and that it is morally permissible to guarantee someone goes to heaven. It follows that if Threshold-Hell Christianity is true, then abortion is morally permissible.

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Stephen Kershnar
Fredonia State University

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References found in this work

War and Massacre.Thomas Nagel - 1985 - In Lawrence A. Alexander, International Ethics: A "Philosophy and Public Affairs" Reader. Princeton: Princeton University Press. pp. 53-75.
The Paradox of Punishment.Alan Goldman - 1994 - In A. John Simmons, Marshall Cohen, Joshua Cohen & Charles R. Beitz, Punishment: A Philosophy and Public Affairs Reader. Princeton: Princeton University Press. pp. 30-47.
Controlling ignorance: A bitter truth.Michael J. Zimmerman - 2002 - Journal of Social Philosophy 33 (3):483–490.
Thomson on abortion.Baruch Brody - 1972 - Philosophy and Public Affairs 1 (3):335-340.
Excuses and voluntary conduct.Vinit Haksar - 1986 - Ethics 96 (2):317-329.

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