Why the immorality of consuming alcohol during pregnancy cannot tell us that abortion is immoral: A reply to Hendricks

Abstract

Recently, Perry Hendricks argued that abortion is immoral even if the fetus is not a person. He did so by arguing that causing a future child to suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome is wrong because it is an impairment, and an abortion would be an even more substantial impairment. Here I reply that the argument depends on ignoring relevant facts that are essential for moral decision-making. Moreover, if we adapt the argument to consider these essential facts, then the argument fails because it no longer applies to the case under consideration.