I think the break-down between Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Advocates is the contention that a fetus constitutes a Person. This represents a fundamental philosophical gap, with no clear way around.
Assuming for a moment that a fetus is actually a Person, I've run into a few interesting thought experiments.
If a fetus is a Person, then it follows that it could most likely be treated as a child. But if it's a child, then it's the parents job to look after it. The parents are responsible and liable for its well-being. If a child is malnourished, then the parents are criminally liable. If a child arrives at school bruised, then the parents are criminally liable. Given the expansive reach of Child Protective Services, parents responsible for almost every aspect of their children's lives (except for raising the damned things, we let our teachers take responsibility for that!)So let's say that the fetus's parents are entirely responsible for its well-being, as if it were a child.
What happens if the mother has a miscarriage?
Is that potential manslaughter? Are the parents criminally responsible for that death?
