The Language of Argument

3 9 3

A n a l o g i c a l R e a s o n i n g i n E t h i c s

Now we can apply this principle to Thomson’s story:

(2) It is not morally wrong for you to unplug the violinist in

Thomson’s example.

(3) To unplug the violinist and to abort a pregnancy due to rape are

similar in all morally relevant respects.

∴(4) It is not morally wrong for a woman to abort a pregnancy due to rape.

This argument is valid, so, following the normal procedure, we can ask

whether the premises are true. The first premise seems plausible, and it is ac-

cepted in most moral theories. Most people also accept the second premise.

Consequently, the discussion usually focuses on the third premise—on the

similarities and differences between Thomson’s story and abortion in a

pregnancy due to rape.

First, consider these similarities between Thomson’s story and abortion

after rape:

1. Both the fetus and the violinist are on or near the Earth.


2. Kidnapping is immoral and illegal, like rape.


3. The hospital stay lasts nine months, like pregnancy.


4. The violinist is innocent and a human being, like the fetus (given our
   present assumption).


5. Unplugging the violinist is supposed to be killing, like an abortion.
   Now here are some differences between the situations:


6. The fetus cannot play the violin, but the violinist can.


7. The person who is plugged into the violinist might not be female.


8. The person who is plugged into the violinist cannot leave the hospital
   room, but pregnant women can still move around, even if they have
   some difficulty.


9. Abortion involves killing, but unplugging the violinist is merely
   refusing to save.
   It is obvious that some of the similarities and differences are not relevant.
   It does not matter whether killing occurs near the Earth. Killing is usually
   wrong, even on the starship Enterprise. It is also accepted that differences in
   musical talent and in sex cannot justify killing. The other similarities and dif-
   ferences on our list do seem important. They each concern harm and respon-
   sibility, matters that must be considered in reaching a moral judgment about
   these actions. The force of Thomson’s analogical argument is that the very
   features that lead us to conclude that it would not be wrong to unplug the
   violinist are also found in the case of pregnancy due to rape. Furthermore,
   there are no relevant differences that are important enough to override the
   significance of these similarities. These considerations, if correct, provide a
   reason for treating the two cases in the same way. If we agree, as Thomson

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