“A Defense of Abortion” is a philosophical article by Judith Jarvis Thomson in which the author argues in favor of abortion, using several analogies to illustrate his words. In a move that sets this article apart from most others on the same topic, Thomson acknowledges early in the article that the fetus has the right to life. She then argues that even if the fetus has the right to life, this right does not trump the woman's right to her body. She concludes that abortion is an acceptable choice in a variety of circumstances. In one of his many thought experiments, Thomson uses a story about human seeds to argue that a woman has the right to abortion after voluntary sexual intercourse. It tells the story of flying people – seeds that can fly into people. Minimally decent people are just that; minimally decent. They do what is asked of them as members of society, but they do not go beyond that, unlike the good Samaritans. Thomson argues that no one is required to be a good Samaritan and that people should only be minimally decent people. In the above argument regarding the seeds of the people, one would be a good Samaritan if he allowed the seeds of the people to remain in his house. However, this would be a kindness, not necessary, because the right to their home trumps the right of the seed people to remain in their home. They believe that the experience of being alive or conscious is fundamentally better than never having experienced life or consciousness. If a fetus is expected to die within a few hours of birth, it should not be aborted, because the experience of taking even a few short breaths is better than never having the chance. I agree that the experience of being alive is valuable. I will add, however, that the value is limited. For example, although whether people are unconscious is hotly debated, it is perhaps safe to say that people who are in a state of permanent unconsciousness have limited awareness and may not know if they are alive or dead. A large number of people with extremely low quality of life are aware, but do not realize that they are. They may experience emotions, but not be aware of them. A person with an extremely low quality of life may slightly gain something from being alive, but if they are not aware that they are gaining anything, the value drops significantly. If a person with an extremely low quality of life is conscious and mentally healthy, but perhaps bedridden and living in intense suffering, the value of their life decreases significantly to similar levels. If the fetus's future is as bleak as this, with no possibility of improvement, it is often best for it not to be born. There