Quote:
Originally posted by hobbes@3 July 2003 - 18:04
To argue that abortion is "wrong" based on a number of cells is incorrect. We "grant" live to the fetus when we see something recognizably human. Toes, finger, tallywacker, etc.. We are placing our "humanity" on a glorified assembly of cells. Even after birth, the child is really just a fetus "playing outdoors". Instead of the placenta, it uses the breast for nurishment. The newborn acts from the brainstem on reflexes, and is nearly deaf and blind (his mind has yet to learn how to "use" the data these receptor organs are sending).
So at what point does the infant become alive? When he understands the concept of "cogito ergo sum", he has a sense of self identity and this occurs long after birth.
An enity should be considered "living" as long it is able to survive within the mother, without intentional, adverse intervention. Nature aborts most conceptions spontaneously(75%), it takes a real go getter to survive gestation.
its to bad that we still haven't figured out the mystery of self/soul