In Kantian ethics, abortion is acceptable if:

• A. Depends on personhood; if fetus is not a person, abortion is acceptable due to autonomy
• B. Always prohibits abortion
• C. Abortion is always acceptable
• D. Abortion is acceptable only if the fetus has a right to life

Answer: (A)

In Kantian ethics, moral status comes from rational agency and autonomy. Actions are judged by whether they respect the capacity to act according to moral law, treating rational beings as ends in themselves. A fetus that has not yet developed personhood lacks this rational-will status, so it does not carry the same inviolable moral rights as a person. When the fetus isn’t a person, the pregnant individual’s autonomy becomes the decisive factor, and choosing abortion does not violate the Kantian requirement to treat rational beings with respect. If the fetus were a person with rational autonomy, killing it would contradict the principle of treating humanity as an end in itself, making abortion impermissible. That’s why the correct stance is that abortion is acceptable to Kantian ethics only if the fetus is not a person.