V6M@PSUVM.BITNET (02/08/85)
<<>> I agree the termination was morally permisible,PROBABLY. Here goes: It is also possible that the mother could not carry to term precisely becuase of the injuries. The infant would die irregardless and possibly the mother. Had the baby been a true threat then it would be implied that it could live at the expense of the mother or ITSELF had become degenerate and was killing the mother. It is possible here that: a. the infant suffered internal injuries which were fatal to it and hence it would naturaly be aborted or worse still born. b. the mother only suffered injuries which damaged the "life support" mechanism and was therefor incapable of completing the pregnancy. c. the mother received such injuries that development of the baby was possible to full term but that ANY form of delivery was impossible (unlikely and covered by Tom's argument) d. the infant was too underdevloped to be able to placed into intensive neo- nate care and that such care was reasonably availble at the time. The woman was probably under anathesia at the time and would be guiltless. Marchionni