Consent

Does the mere fact that a woman consents to sex, when she knows there is some chance she will get pregnant, in itself, support thinking that abortion is wrong? If you present any arguments, please state them in logically valid form. Include the question in your response and be honest and accurate.

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Short answer

No.

The mere fact that a woman voluntarily has sex while knowing pregnancy is possible does not, by itself, logically or morally entail that abortion is wrong. Some philosophers try to make such an argument—often called the “responsibility argument”—but as commonly presented it is not logically valid, and when reformulated into a valid form, it rests on false, unsupported, or controversial premises.

Below are the strongest versions of that argument, stated in logically valid form, followed by reasons why they do not succeed.

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A. The strongest anti-abortion argument from “consent to sex” (valid form)

Argument A1 (Responsibility Argument)

1. If an agent voluntarily performs an action knowing it may cause a dependent person to exist who needs support, then the agent has a moral obligation to provide that support.

2. A woman who voluntarily has sex knows it may cause a dependent person (a fetus) to exist who needs support.

3. Therefore, a woman who voluntarily has sex has a moral obligation to provide support to the fetus.

4. If she has a moral obligation to provide that support, then she may not end the pregnancy (abortion is wrong).

5. Therefore, abortion is wrong.

This is logically valid.

But it has serious problems:

Problems with Premise 1

This is not a true moral principle.

Example: A person opens their windows on a hot day knowing a burglar might climb in; they do not thereby acquire an obligation to house, feed, and bodily support the burglar.

Example: Voluntarily driving a car knowing there’s a chance of causing an accident does not mean you must donate organs or bodily services to anyone you injure. You owe compensation, not bodily use.

Knowing a risk ≠ consenting to all consequences of that risk.

That is not true anywhere else in ethics or law.

Problems with Premise 4

Even if one had obligations to help another, that does not automatically mean one must provide bodily assistance.

Ethics and law do not require forced bodily support, even to save lives (e.g., organ donation).

Thus, even though the argument is valid, its premises are false or unjustified.

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B. The “Consent Implies Obligation” Argument (also valid, also unsound)

Argument B1 (Consent Implication Argument)

1. If you voluntarily take an action knowing a certain outcome might occur, you thereby consent to that outcome.

2. A woman voluntarily has sex knowing pregnancy might occur.

3. Therefore, she consents to pregnancy.

4. If she consents to pregnancy, then abortion is wrong.

5. Therefore, abortion is wrong.

Valid, but deeply flawed:

Premise 1 is false.

Risk-awareness is not consent.

Knowing you might drown when swimming does not mean you consent to drowning.

Knowing you might get injured while driving does not mean you consent to the injury.

Knowing your house may burn down does not mean you consent to losing it.

Premise 4 is false.

Even if someone “consented” to a possibility, it does not follow that they must continue unwanted consequences.

Example: Consenting to sex does not entail consenting to STDs or medical complications; one may still seek treatment.

Thus the argument is unsound.

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C. The “Assumption of Risk” Argument (valid, but unsound)

Sometimes people argue that by having sex, a woman “assumes the risk” of pregnancy.

Argument C1 (Risk Assumption Argument)

1. If someone voluntarily assumes a risk that may lead to creating another person, they are morally responsible for caring for that person.

2. A woman who voluntarily has sex assumes the risk of creating another person.

3. Therefore, she is morally responsible for caring for that person.

4. If she is morally responsible for caring for that person, then abortion is wrong.

5. Therefore, abortion is wrong.

Again, valid but unsound:

In ethics and in law, assuming risk does not create unconditional parental obligations, let alone obligations of bodily support.

Parental obligations normally arise only if a child actually exists, and even then do not require forced bodily use.

Even if you’re responsible for creating a person, it does not follow that you must provide bodily life support if you withdraw consent to that.

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D. A more accurate pro-choice analysis

The mere fact of consenting to sex does not entail consenting to pregnancy because:

1. Sex ≠ consent to gestation.

Birth control exists for a reason. The act is for multiple purposes: pleasure, bonding, expression—not necessarily reproduction.

2. Moral and legal norms do NOT require bodily sacrifice merely because one caused a need.

We are not required to donate blood, organs, or body parts, even to dependents we created.

Bodily autonomy always remains.

3. Pregnancy involves extreme bodily demands.

Ethical norms recognize that bodily autonomy overrides most forms of claimed responsibility, even parental responsibility.

4. Even parents can relinquish responsibility after birth (safe haven laws, adoption), which shows responsibility ≠ forced support.

Thus, the “consent to sex” argument does not succeed as a moral argument against abortion.

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Conclusion

Does the mere fact that a woman consents to sex, knowing pregnancy is possible, by itself support thinking abortion is wrong?

No.

When the argument is made logically valid, the premises turn out to be false or unsupported.

Consenting to sex is not consenting to pregnancy, nor does it create a moral obligation to sustain another being with one’s body.