the spiritual climate on campus c h r i s t i a n u n i o n : : t h e m a g a z i n e
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P R IN C E T O N | On Campus
No Moral Compass
PRINCETON PROFESSOR SHARES DISTURBING PRO-ABORTION VIEWS By Catherine Elvy , Staff Writer
An interview with a Princeton
University professor went viral after the philosopher shared her perplexing position on the morality of abortion with movie star James Franco . The five-minute video generated a firestorm of online critiques , mostly blasting the elements of the scholar ’ s pro-termination argument as “ bizarre ,” “ convoluted ,” and “ rubbish .”
The uproar occurred after Franco and co-host Eliot Michaelson interviewed Professor Elizabeth Harman for an episode of Philosophy Time , a YouTube series . Michaelson is a philosophy lecturer at the King ’ s College in London ; Franco is best known for starring roles in various films , including the Spider Man series , 127 Hours , and The Interview .
During the July broadcast , Harman expounded upon her support for early abortions , noting fetuses have not lived long enough to attain “ moral status .”
The Harvard University alumna of 1997 asserted that “ nothing morally bad happens ” during early terminations . In general , an abortion of a tiny embryo is morally acceptable as the fetus has never been conscious or perceived “ any experiences ,” Harman opined .
Admittedly , “ this view might seem unattractive because it might seem that it dictates a cold attitude towards all early fetuses ,” she said .
Harman explained her position to Michaelson and Franco , who enrolled at Yale University in 2010 to pursue a doctorate in English after finishing a master of fine arts from Columbia University .
“ Among early fetuses , there are two very different kinds of beings ,” she said . “ So , James , when you were an early fetus , and Eliot , when you were an early fetus , all of us , I think , already did have moral status then . But we had moral status in virtue of our futures …”
“ But some early fetuses will die in early pregnancy due to abortion or miscarriage . And , in my view , that is a very different kind of entity . That ’ s something that doesn ’ t have a future as a person and it doesn ’ t have moral status .”
Thus , a fetus only receives “ moral status ” when a woman decides to maintain her pregnancy , Harman proffered .
In response to the incredulous ideologies espoused by Harman , Sherif Girgis , a scholar with The Witherspoon Institute , offered a lengthy reply , including a plug for reasoned public debate on pro-life causes and the respect for human life .
“ This points to the most basic problem with Harman ’ s view , a problem shared by other ‘ liberal ’ views of our moral status . That ’ s the idea that we have moral status not in virtue of what we are ( animals of a rational nature ), but in virtue of having acquired or developed a certain trait to a certain degree ,” wrote Girgis , Princeton ’ 08 , a recent Yale University law graduate and a philosophy doctoral candidate at Princeton .
Still , Harmon maintains a firm campus platform for her ideologies , including ones dismissing and divorcing the concept of moral culpability from pregnancy termination .
The associate professor of philosophy and human values has taught courses at Princeton focused on the ethical issues associated with topics including moral status , harm , sexuality , procreation , and relationships .
As for Girgis , the theologian and author declared that each embryo has value because of its potential to develop and experience life .
“ We matter because of what we are ,” Girgis wrote . | cu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Office of Religious Life Criticized for Supporting Rally
In August , Princeton University ’ s Office of Religious Life drew attention for supporting an event on campus that raised funds for Planned Parenthood .
The Office of Religious Life co-sponsored a rally organized by the New Jersey branch of Run 4 All Women . An associate dean told The Daily Princetonian that Religious Life backed the event to highlight Planned Parenthood ’ s comprehensive health care services .
In turn , some students expressed disapproval over the involvement to the campus newspaper . “ I know there are religious and pro-life students who feel alienated by the decision and who feel that ORL has failed to represent them ,” said Alexandra Cavazos ’ 19 , co-president of Princeton Pro-Life .