this decision process has been

considerable. One may anticipate further

Separating the Idea of
development of these roles as the Abortion from Killing...
problems of birth control and birth
selection are extended inevitably to death The following is the famous editorial
selection and death control whether by the which appeared in California Medicine,
individual or by society, and further the official journal of the California
public and professional determinations of Medical Association (Sept., 1970; Vol
when and when not to use scarce 113, $o. 3), speaking about the linguistic
resources. strategy that would have to be used for
abortion to gain acceptance.
Since the problems which the new
demographic, ecologic and social The traditional Western ethic has always
realities pose are fundamentally biological placed great emphasis on the intrinsic
and ecological in nature and pertain to the worth and equal value of every human life
survival and well-being of human beings, regardless of its stage or condition. This
the participation of physicians and of the ethic has had the blessing of the Judeo-
medical profession will be essential in Christian heritage and has been the basis
planning and decision-making at many for most of our laws and much of our
levels. No other discipline has the social policy. The reverence for each and
knowledge of human nature, human every human life has also been a keystone
behavior, health and disease, and of what of Western medicine and is the ethic
is involved in physical and mental well- which has caused physicians to try to
being which will be needed. It is not too preserve, protect, repair, prolong, and
early for our profession to examine this enhance every human life which comes
new ethic, recognize it for what it is, and under their surveillance. This traditional
will mean for human society, and prepare ethic is still clearly dominant, but there is
to apply it in a rational development for much to suggest that it is being eroded at
the fulfillment and betterment of mankind its core and may eventually even be
in what is almost certain to be a abandoned. This of course, will produce
biologically oriented world society. profound changes in Western medicine
and in Western society.

There are certain new facts and social

Pope John Paul II Society of Evangelists
P.O. Box 5584, Bakersfield, California 93388
realities which are becoming recognized,
e-mail: [email protected] Phone: 661 393-3239 are widely discussed in Western society
www.pjpiisoe.org and seem certain to undermine and
Donation Welcome and Appreciated transform this traditional ethic. They have
Pamphlet 104
come into being and into focus as the be sought. This is quite distinctly at It seems safe to predict that the new
social by-products of unprecedented variance with the Judeo-Christian ethic and demographic, ecological, and social
technologic progress and achievement. Of carries serious philosophical, social, realities and aspirations are so powerful
particular importance are, first, the economic, and political implications for that the new ethic of relative rather than of
demographic data of human population Western society and perhaps for world absolute and equal values will ultimately
expansion which tends to proceed society. prevail as man exercises ever more certain
uncontrolled and at a geometric rate of and effective control over his numbers,
progression; second, an ever-growing The process of eroding the old ethic and and uses his always comparatively scarce
ecological disparity between the numbers substituting the new has already begun. It resources to provide the nutrition,
of people and the resources available to may be seen most clearly in changing housing, economic support, education, and
support these numbers in the manner to attitudes toward human abortion. In health care in such ways as to achieve his
which they are or would like to become defiance of the long held Western ethic of desired quality of life and living. The
accustomed; and third, and perhaps most intrinsic and equal value for every human criteria upon which these relative values
important, a quite new social emphasis on life regardless of its stage, condition, or are to be based will depend considerably
something which is beginning to be called status, abortion is becoming accepted by upon whatever concept of the quality of
the quality of life, a something which society as moral, right, and even necessary. life or living is developed. This may be
becomes possible for the first time in It is worth noting that this shift in public expected to reflect the extent that quality
human history because of scientific and attitude has affected the churches, the laws, of life is considered to be a function of
technological development. These are and public policy rather than the reverse. personal fulfillment; of individual
now being seen by a growing segment of Since the old ethic has not yet been fully responsibility for the common welfare, the
the public as realities which are within the displaced it has been necessary to separate preservation of the environment, the
power of humans to control and there is the idea of abortion from the idea of betterment of the species; and of whether
quite evidently an increasing killing, which continues to be socially or not, or to what extent, these
determination to do this. abhorrent. The result has been a curious responsibilities are to be exercised on a
avoidance of the scientific fact, which compulsory or voluntary basis.
What is not yet so clearly perceived is that everyone really knows, that human life
in order to bring this about hard choices begins at conception and is continuous The part which medicine will play as all
will have to be made with respect to what whether intra- or extra-uterine until death. this develops is not yet entirely clear. That
is to be preserved and strengthened and The very considerable semantic it will be deeply involved is certain.
what is not, and that this will of necessity gymnastics which are required to Medicine's role with respect to changing
violate and ultimately destroy the rationalize abortion as anything but taking attitudes toward abortion may well be a
traditional Western ethic with all that this a human life would be ludicrous if they prototype of what is to occur. Another
portends. It will become necessary and were not often put forth under socially precedent may be found in the part
acceptable to place relative rather than impeccable auspices. It is suggested that physicians have played in evaluating who
absolute values on such things as human this schizophrenic sort of subterfuge is is and who is not to be given costly long-
lives, the use of scarce resources and the necessary because while a new ethic is term renal dialysis. Certainly this has
various elements which are to make up being accepted the old one has not yet been required placing relative values on human
the quality of life or of living which is to rejected. lives and the impact of the physician on