What is the pro-life position on a pregnant woman doing harm to herself in a free society?

[erowe1]

I think this is a logical extension of the pro life decision.

The issue, however, is what constitutes harm? Strangling a child is obviously harming them. But, is, say, spanking them? Telling them about ugly facets of life? Yelling at them for doing something wrong? Sheltering them so that they are ignorant of things that they might otherwise be conscious of at a given age? Alowing them to take drugs? Taking drugs yourself? Having them grow up in your household when you barely have the means to support them financially? All these could theoretically be argued to "harm" a child.

The issue I have with this is that "harming another" is difficult to define, and the fact that this grey area exists allows the state a great deal of power to regulate personal behavior.

Fake Edit: And really, a pregnant woman who accidentaly trips gets a manslaughter charge?

I wouldn't count any of those things you listed as crimes. But the neglect of the child that could go with some of them could be.

For accidentally tripping, no, that wouldn't be manslaughter. I missed that part in your OP. Manslaughter isn't when a person dies from just any accident, it's when someone dies because of someone willfully doing something dangerous that led to the accident. If I'm drunk and I drive and get in an accident that kills the passenger in my car, that would be manslaughter, regardless of if that passenger was in my womb or not.

 

[Pericles]

Dannno's post pretty well formed.
I would like to add the following:
Weighing the property rights of the adult women against the property rights of the unborn child is extremely difficult. That is why their are so many emotions wrapped up in this issue. Who here would stand idle by while 2 year olds were suddenly drowned by their parents? When does the natural rights of a human being come into existence. Difficult question. The survival rate of preemies at 24 week gestation is roughly 50%, 6 months, 3 months early. But does a zygote have natural rights? Do those natural rights trump the adult womens rights? If you believe that soul(humane essence) is created instantly... now what?

Culturally, and legally, a person exists and therefore has rights when born. This can make ceseareans somewhat problematic or late term abortions where life is sustainable problemmatic, but is probably the best rule, as I think society should not intervene.

Anytime I think there should be a law, I should be willing to enforce said law myself, by force of arms. I can't see myself shooting a pregnant woman in order to force her to have a baby.

 

[Agorism]

So does smoking\drinking mean ur trying to harm the fetus. Clearly they do especially the latter.

 

[dannno]

So does smoking\drinking mean ur trying to harm the fetus. Clearly they do especially the latter.

I've heard the former (cigarettes) does more damage, though I could be wrong (although cannabis seems to help according to the study I posted).