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Old 06-03-2009, 07:29 AM   #35 (permalink)
Latenter
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Quote:
Originally Posted by inBOIL View Post
I think it comes down to whether or not a fetus is a person. If it is, abortion should be illegal. If not, it's entirely the woman's choice. I haven't heard a convincing argument either way regarding the personhood of a fetus.
This is the basis of the issue. It's all about drawing that line. If we can determine that a fetus is a person, the argument shouldn't exist. I don't understand all of the moralizing and everything else that goes with the debate, I don't care how the mother feels, it's not her life being taken.

It's not that I'm heartless. I think rare cases should be looked at on a case by case basis, ie. rape (maybe), or medical concerns for the mother, but how it affects her lifestyle should never be a factor. We don't let people kill their spouse if they don't love them anymore, or push someone in front of a train if they are suing you. We also don't euthanize orphans to decrease overcrowding. No, it's not easy, but as a civilized society it's a part of "freedom" we give up. It's a different conversation, but it's related to the "we DON'T torture" stuff recently. Don't care if it's effective or not, as a society, we should choose to be above that.

As far as when we can determine that a fetus is a person, I think there needs to be a hard, scientific definition. Chance for viability is variable, and as medicine improves we can go further back.

Personally, I would put the line at the development of a nervous system/brain, where it is no longer a lump of cells and meat, and is becoming a lifeform, even if still dependent. I think this starts to happen pretty early, at around 2 weeks (I think, I haven't looked in a while.)

Interestingly for me, that means that I think the morning after pill should probably be legal, and I'm mostly for stem cell research, though I might still find parts of it distasteful.

EDIT:
According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prenatal_development), this happens about 18 days after fertilization.

Quote:
Gestational age: 4 weeks old. 29-35 days from last menstruation.
Embryonic age: Week nr 3. 2 weeks old. 15-21 days from fertilization.

* A notochord forms in the center of the embryonic disk. (day 16 of fert.)
* Gastrulation commences. (day 16 of fert.)
* A neural groove (future spinal cord) forms over the notochord with a brain bulge at one end. Neuromeres appear. (day 18 of fert.)
* Somites, the divisions of the future vertebra, form. (day 20 of fert.)
* Primitive heart tube is forming. Vasculature begins to develop in embryonic disc. (day 20 of fert.)

Last edited by Latenter; 06-03-2009 at 07:40 AM.. Reason: additional details
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