Whose Body?

With philosophical nerve and unforgettable thought experiments, Judith Jarvis Thomson’s ＂A Defense of Abortion＂ transformed the moral debate on reproductive rights. First published in 1971, it became a cornerstone of modern moral philosophy, widely taught, fiercely debated, and endlessly cited. Few essays have so deeply shaped public discourse--or made abstract reasoning feel so urgently and disarmingly human.

Judith Jarvis Thomson (1929-2020) was an American philosopher best known for her groundbreaking work in moral theory and metaphysics. A longtime professor at MIT, she brought analytical rigor and imaginative clarity to some of philosophy’s most charged questions.