TWO Melbourne academics have received death threats after writing a theoretical paper that argues killing a newborn baby should be allowed in cases where an abortion would have been granted.
The controversial paper, written by Alberto Giubilini, of the University of Milan and Monash University, and Francesca Minerva, of the University of Melbourne and Oxford University, was electronically pre-published in the prestigious Journal of Medical Ethics last week and titled ”After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?”
The philosophers suggest that newborns and foetuses are morally equivalent ”potential persons” whose family’s interests override theirs.
Avoiding the term ”infanticide”, the pair say ”after-birth abortion” should be permitted when disabilities, such as Down syndrome, are not detected during pregnancy, or if economic or psychological circumstances change and ”taking care of the offspring becomes an unbearable burden on someone”.
Dr Minerva said she had notified police about the death threats and feared for her safety.
”This was a theoretical and academic article,” she said.
”I didn’t mean to change any laws. I’m not in favour of infanticide. I’m just using logical arguments.”
Is this article supposed to make me feel sorry for them?
They write papers saying we should kill babies for economic reasons – if the baby will be a burden on a family, then when people send emails saying “you should die” they are screaming DEATH THREATS!!!
I am not sure some emails saying “you should die” are real death threats anyway – sounds like in-context replies to their paper.
To top it off, Francesca Minerva expects me to believe she does not support this?
If it wasn’t so serious I would be laughing my ass off at them.
I find it disturbing that %28 of people out of a strong 11421 votes would actually support this.
Here is your future – Aldous Huxley did not pull this out of thin air. If you believe he did, I have a bridge for sale in Alaska…you should buy it, going cheap!