RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Critical notice—Defending life: a moral and legal case against abortion choice by Francis J Beckwith JF Journal of Medical Ethics JO J Med Ethics FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics SP 793 OP 797 DO 10.1136/jme.2007.023606 VO 34 IS 11 A1 D Stretton YR 2008 UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/34/11/793.abstract AB Francis Beckwith’s Defending life: a moral and legal case against abortion choice defends the pro-life position on moral, legal and political grounds. In this critical notice I consider three key issues and argue that Beckwith’s treatment of each of them is unpersuasive. The issues are: (1) whether abortion is politically justified by the principle that we should err on the side of liberty in the face of reasonable disagreement over the moral status of the fetus; (2) whether the fetus’s natural capacity or genetic propensity to develop rationality and communication is sufficient to give it a moral right to life; and (3) whether abortion is morally justified on the basis of bodily rights. I also show that Beckwith’s book fails to consider several important issues and arguments.