Chapter 12: Problem 5

As discussed in the text, liberals tend to rely largely on the moral foundations of harm and fairness, whereas conservatives rely more on all five moral foundations. It would seem that a good way to persuade someone who disagreed with you on a moral issue would be to speak to the moral foundations that the person cared about the most. Think about what kind of arguments you could use to speak to the moral foundations of someone who disagreed with you about the morality of abortion.

Short Answer

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To persuade someone who disagrees with you about the morality of abortion, tailor your arguments to specific moral foundations that the person cares about the most. For liberals, focus on harm/care and fairness/reciprocity arguments. For conservatives, cover all five moral foundations, including in-group loyalty, authority/respect, and purity/sanctity arguments, alongside harm/care and fairness/reciprocity. Remain respectful and understanding of the other person's point of view as you present your case.

Step by step solution

Understand the five moral foundations

First, it is essential to understand the five moral foundations: harm/care, fairness/reciprocity, in-group loyalty, authority/respect, and purity/sanctity. Harm/care and fairness/reciprocity tend to be the main focus of liberals, while conservatives tend to rely on all five foundations.

Analyze the abortion issue through moral foundations

Think about the abortion issue considering the five moral foundations. For each foundation, develop possible arguments that you could use to persuade someone who disagreed with your point of view.

Harm/Care Argument

Arguing from the harm/care foundation, you could emphasize the importance of providing safe and legal abortion access for women. From the pro-choice perspective, think about the harmful consequences of denying women the right to make decisions about their own bodies, which can lead to dangerous, illegal procedures. From the pro-life perspective, emphasize the potential harm to the fetus and argue for the protection of unborn life.

Fairness/Reciprocity Argument

For the fairness/reciprocity foundation, you can argue from the pro-choice standpoint that women should be treated fairly and have the same autonomy as men to make decisions about their bodies. From the pro-life perspective, you can argue that denying the unborn child their chance of life is unfair or unjust.

In-Group Loyalty Argument

From the perspective of in-group loyalty, you can emphasize the importance of protecting and supporting your own community or group. For example, a pro-choice argument could focus on the impact of unwanted pregnancies on families and communities. A pro-life argument could emphasize the importance of preserving the sanctity of the community and caring for unborn members of society.

Authority/Respect Argument

In the authority/respect foundation, a pro-choice argument could involve the notion of respecting women's authority over their own bodies and their right to make decisions about their reproductive health. A pro-life argument could be constructed around the idea that society must respect and protect life as an overarching moral principle or religious belief.

Purity/Sanctity Argument

Lastly, in the purity/sanctity foundation, a pro-choice argument could focus on the importance of preventing harm or suffering, such as when the health of the mother or fetus is at risk. For the pro-life standpoint, you can argue that ending an unborn life is morally wrong, as it defies the sanctity of life itself or contradicts religious beliefs.

Tailoring arguments to specific moral foundations

Now that you have thought about potential arguments for each moral foundation, consider how you can tailor your arguments to best resonate with the moral foundations that the person you are trying to persuade cares about the most. If they are liberal, focus on harm/care and fairness/reciprocity arguments, and if they are conservative, try to cover all five foundations in your argument. Remember to remain respectful and understanding of the other person's point of view.

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Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand the five moral foundations

Analyze the abortion issue through moral foundations

Harm/Care Argument

Fairness/Reciprocity Argument

In-Group Loyalty Argument

Authority/Respect Argument

Purity/Sanctity Argument

Tailoring arguments to specific moral foundations

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