Mary Anne Warren

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Mary Anne Warren

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==Biography==
==Biography==


Warren was a professor of philosophy at [[San Francisco State University]] for many years. Her essays have sometimes been required readings in academic courses dealing with the [[abortion debate]] and they are frequently cited in major publications like [[Peter Singer]]'s ''The Moral of the Story: An Anthology of Ethics Through Literature''Singer, Peter. ''The Moral of the Story: An Anthology of Ethics Through Literature''; Oxford: [[Blackwell Publishing]] (2005); {{ISBN|1-4051-0584-4}} and [[Bernard Gert]]'s ''Bioethics: A Systematic Approach''.Gert, Bernard/ Culver,Charles M./Clouser,K. Danner (2006); ''Bioethics: A Systematic Approach''; [[Oxford University Press]]. {{ISBN|0-19-515906-3}} She was sometimes described as a [[Feminism|feminist]], largely due to her [[pro-choice]] writings. Warren also wrote on the implications of [[sex selection]]{{cite news|title=High-Tech Sex Selection: A New Chapter in the Debate|url=http://www.genetics-and-society.org/resources/cgs/200401_genewatch_darnovsky.html|publisher=[[Center for Genetics and Society]]|first=Marcy|last=Darnovsky|date=January 1, 2004|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060930075852/http://www.genetics-and-society.org/resources/cgs/200401_genewatch_darnovsky.html|archivedate=September 30, 2006}} and about animal rights.Taylor, Angus. (2009). ''Animals and Ethics: An Overview of the Philosophical Debate, Third Edition''. Broadview Press. pp. 83-84. {{ISBN|978-1-55111-976-2}}
Warren was a professor of philosophy at [[San Francisco State University]] for many years. Her essays have sometimes been required readings in academic courses dealing with the [[abortion debate]] and they are frequently cited in major publications like [[Peter Singer]]'s ''The Moral of the Story: An Anthology of Ethics Through Literature''Singer, Peter. ''The Moral of the Story: An Anthology of Ethics Through Literature''; Oxford: [[Blackwell Publishing]] (2005); {{ISBN|1-4051-0584-4}} and [[Bernard Gert]]'s ''Bioethics: A Systematic Approach''.Gert, Bernard/ Culver, Charles M./Clouser, K. Danner (2006); ''Bioethics: A Systematic Approach''; [[Oxford University Press]]. {{ISBN|0-19-515906-3}} She was sometimes described as a [[Feminism|feminist]], largely due to her [[pro-choice]] writings. Warren also wrote on the implications of [[sex selection]]{{cite news|title=High-Tech Sex Selection: A New Chapter in the Debate|url=http://www.genetics-and-society.org/resources/cgs/200401_genewatch_darnovsky.html|publisher=[[Center for Genetics and Society]]|first=Marcy|last=Darnovsky|date=January 1, 2004|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060930075852/http://www.genetics-and-society.org/resources/cgs/200401_genewatch_darnovsky.html|archivedate=September 30, 2006}} and about animal rights.Taylor, Angus. (2009). ''Animals and Ethics: An Overview of the Philosophical Debate, Third Edition''. Broadview Press. pp. 83-84. {{ISBN|978-1-55111-976-2}}


She was married to the philosopher [[Michael Scriven]].{{cite journal |last1=Davidson |first1=E. Jane |title=Behind That Intimidating Exterior: A Tribute to “Uncle Michael” Scriven |journal=Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation |date=2024 |volume=20 |issue=47 |pages=50-52 |doi=10.56645/jmde.v20i47.1035 |url=https://journals.sfu.ca/jmde/index.php/jmde_1/article/view/1035/821 |access-date=2025-08-09|doi-access=free }} They had no children.
She was married to the philosopher [[Michael Scriven]].{{cite journal |last1=Davidson |first1=E. Jane |title=Behind That Intimidating Exterior: A Tribute to “Uncle Michael” Scriven |journal=Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation |date=2024 |volume=20 |issue=47 |pages=50–52 |doi=10.56645/jmde.v20i47.1035 |url=https://journals.sfu.ca/jmde/index.php/jmde_1/article/view/1035/821 |access-date=2025-08-09|doi-access=free }} They had no children.


Warren died on August 9, 2010, from cancer, aged 64.
Warren died on August 9, 2010, from cancer, aged 64.
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==Criteria of personhood==
==Criteria of personhood==
In response to whether a thing can be said to be a person, and so have moral standing, Warren suggested the following criteria:
In response to whether a thing can be said to be a person, and so have moral standing, Warren suggested the following criteria:
# Sentience -- the capacity to have conscious experiences, usually including the capacity to experience pain and pleasure;
# Sentience—the capacity to have conscious experiences, usually including the capacity to experience pain and pleasure;
# Emotionality -- the capacity to feel happy, sad, angry, loving, etc.;
# Emotionality—the capacity to feel happy, sad, angry, loving, etc.;
# Reason -- the capacity to solve new and relatively complex problems;
# Reason—the capacity to solve new and relatively complex problems;
# The Capacity to Communicate -- by whatever means, messages of an indefinite variety of types, i.e., not just with an indefinite number of possible contents but on indefinitely many possible topics;
# The Capacity to Communicate—by whatever means, messages of an indefinite variety of types, i.e., not just with an indefinite number of possible contents but on indefinitely many possible topics;
# Self-Awareness -- having a conception of oneself as an individual and/or as a member of a social group;
# Self-Awareness—having a conception of oneself as an individual and/or as a member of a social group;
# Moral Agency -- the capacity to regulate one's own actions though moral principles or ideals.
# Moral Agency—the capacity to regulate one's own actions though moral principles or ideals.


She stated that at least some of these are necessary, if not sufficient, criteria for personhood (which is necessary and sufficient for moral standing). She argued that fetuses do not meet any of these criteria; therefore, they are not persons and have no moral standing. Abortion is thus morally permissible.{{cite book |last=Warren |first=Mary Anne |url=https://spot.colorado.edu/~norcross/Ab3.pdf |title=Biomedical Ethics |publisher=McGraw-Hill, Inc. |year=1996 |edition=4th |location=New York |pages=434–440 |archive-date=2018-05-16 |access-date=2024-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516201436/https://spot.colorado.edu/~norcross/Ab3.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown }} However, some philosophers have criticized Warren's criteria. For instance, [[Don Marquis (philosopher)|Don Marquis]] charged that Warren's criteria are “…plagued by difficulties concerning cases”.{{cite book|last1=Steinbock|first1=Bonnie|title=The Oxford Handbook of Bioethics|date=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-927335-5|edition=1st|location=New York, USA|page=396. Don Marquis. Abortion revisited}}
She stated that at least some of these are necessary, if not sufficient, criteria for personhood (which is necessary and sufficient for moral standing). She argued that fetuses do not meet any of these criteria; therefore, they are not persons and have no moral standing. Abortion is thus morally permissible.{{cite book |last=Warren |first=Mary Anne |url=https://spot.colorado.edu/~norcross/Ab3.pdf |title=Biomedical Ethics |publisher=McGraw-Hill, Inc. |year=1996 |edition=4th |location=New York |pages=434–440 |archive-date=2018-05-16 |access-date=2024-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516201436/https://spot.colorado.edu/~norcross/Ab3.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown }} However, some philosophers have criticized Warren's criteria. For instance, [[Don Marquis (philosopher)|Don Marquis]] charged that Warren's criteria are “…plagued by difficulties concerning cases”.{{cite book|last1=Steinbock|first1=Bonnie|title=The Oxford Handbook of Bioethics|date=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-927335-5|edition=1st|location=New York, USA|page=396. Don Marquis. Abortion revisited}}
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://feministphilosophers.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/mary-anne-warren-in-memoriam/ Notice of Mary Anne Warren's death]
*[http://feministphilosophers.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/mary-anne-warren-in-memoriam/ Notice of Mary Anne Warren's death]

*[http://whatsortsofpeople.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/david-lee-hull-and-mary-anne-warren Tribute to Mary Anne Warren and David Lee Hull]
*[http://whatsortsofpeople.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/david-lee-hull-and-mary-anne-warren Tribute to Mary Anne Warren and David Lee Hull]


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