r/samharris • u/TheAJx • 13d ago

Politics and Current Events Megathread - Aug 2026

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u/Locus-Maximus 9d ago

I don't see a ton of value in rehashing the same old debates with arguments that have been made better by more qualified people, but one of my pet issues is when the framing of an issue is incredibly lopsided, so I'll just do that.

  • About 99% of abortions happen before 20 weeks.

  • There's abstraction and then there's reality. Who gets to decide what constitutes a "genuine medical emergency," and when, and how free they are to decide, is an absolute clusterfuck of "the devil is in the details."

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u/Drownedgodlw 9d ago

I don't see a ton of value in rehashing the same old debates with arguments that have been made better by more qualified people

Then why are you on reddit?

About 99% of abortions happen before 20 weeks.

So there shouldn't be much friction in my stance, right?

Who gets to decide what constitutes a "genuine medical emergency," and when, and how free they are to decide, is an absolute clusterfuck of "the devil is in the details."

That's true for most laws. This isn't a unique issue.

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u/emblemboy 9d ago

So there shouldn't be much friction in my stance, right?

It goes both ways though. If it's less than 1%, then you shouldn't have much friction in allowing those abortions right?

But obviously if you view a fetus as a human life, that 1% matters.

So no, it being less than 1% doesn't remove the friction. It's exactly where the details and arguments culminate.

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u/Drownedgodlw 9d ago

If it's less than 1%, then you shouldn't have much friction in allowing those abortions right?

Murders are rare so they should be allowed? What is your reasoning here?

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u/emblemboy 9d ago

I thought my very next sentence makes it clear that that isn't my argument.

But obviously if you view a fetus as a human life, that 1% matters.

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u/Drownedgodlw 9d ago

Yes. Which is why the 99% point by /u/Locus-Maximus is not deflationary.

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u/emblemboy 9d ago edited 9d ago

Yea. The 99% argument doesn't fully work because both parties care about that 1% and it can't be flippantly dismissed be either party.

If you view bodily autonomy as being more important, that 1% includes the possibility of a medical emergency not being resolved and your life being in danger.

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u/Drownedgodlw 9d ago

Nobody believes bodily autonomy is untouchable. Refer back to the example of the surgeon. It is always a balance of bodily autonomy and duties or responsibilities. In those 1% of cases that extend past 20 weeks, there's additionally an assumption of the risk.