The Janus Face and the Topic of Abortion. An Answer to Héctor Hernández

Abstract

In this paper I propose a more complex type of analysis about abortion qua moral conflict. I turn to this form of essay with the purpose to answer objections addressed to me by the Mexican philosopher Héctor Hernández. In addition, I intend to use the metaphor of the Janus face in order to analyze the concept of abortion. I try to examine the conditions under which it could be considered justified. My thesis is that the issue of abortion presupposes a double shot: according to some dominion, abortion can be justified under certain conditions. According to another level, abortion implies an important moral residue. In the article I try to show that the tragic feature of abortion is an essential component of the conceptual analysis. In addition, I have to point out that a normative discussion of abortion requires a systematic reconstruction of pieces that are part not only of the moral sphere, but also political and legal regulation.