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2. Is Abortion Morally Permissible? Abortion involves the intentional killing of an innocent human being. Many people believe that in certain circumstances, abortion is morally permissible. So, how is it possible for abortion not to be murder? Murder unquestionably violates a person's right to life. What aspects give a person a right to life? Why is it considered murder to kill an innocent person but not an animal? Are we morally superior to animals? In ethics, a being with full moral status, and therefore full moral rights, is called a person. If all human beings are persons then there is no problem. In other words, is it necessary and sufficient to be a human being in order to be considered a person? The notion that not all persons are human beings is one that is widely held, but not recognized the slightest bit. Most Christians, for example, believe God to be a person. However, few would claim that He is a biological human being. There have to be several criteria to be considered a person. 1.) Consciousness (of objects and events external and/or internal to the being, and in particular the capacity to feel pain); 2.) Reasoning (the developed capacity to solve new and relatively complex problems); 3.) Self-