Emergence of humanity

9th Engineer · 07-22-2006, 11:46 AM

This is a bit of a feeler thread to scope out the sentiments on the board. When do you believe a human life begins?

Happy Monkey · 07-22-2006, 12:14 PM

Some time after initial brain waves and before birth.

Pie · 07-22-2006, 12:26 PM

When the developing fetus can support life independently of the mother. (Third trimester?)

Undertoad · 07-22-2006, 12:30 PM

Onset of neocortical brain activity (about the same time as viability)

richlevy · 07-22-2006, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Onset of neocortical brain activity (about the same time as viability)

I agree.

07-22-2006, 12:41 PM

I would say first genetically unique cell . No one could be the person they are without that first cell . It is the beginning of a human life .

smoothmoniker · 07-22-2006, 01:01 PM

I'm with Peter Singer. I don't think they're human until 2 years old, when they become rational free agents. Anytime prior to that, do whatever you want to them.

07-22-2006, 01:09 PM

Rational free agents at 2 ? That must be something to do with all that early learning they do in America . The British start becoming rational free agents when they are knocking on for fifty .

07-22-2006, 01:35 PM

As soon as it is a zygote.

tw · 07-22-2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

As soon as it is a zygote.

Now you have condemned fertility clincs as mass murders. Now you have condemned surgeons as mass murders. Anyone who would kill a living human cell, even a cancer cell, is a murder?

07-22-2006, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tw

Now you have condemned fertility clincs as mass murders. Now you have condemned surgeons as mass murders. Anyone who would kill a living human cell, even a cancer cell, is a murder?

A cancer cell being compared to a zygote that will become a human inside a woman's reproductive system as the same?
Pretty sad stretch there TW, even for you. I know you like to argue, but you can't do better than that, really?

Torrere · 07-22-2006, 11:51 PM

When it has learned how to walk and talk.

tw · 07-22-2006, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

A cancer cell being compared to a zygote that will become a human inside a woman's reproductive system as the same?
Pretty sad stretch there TW, even for you. I know you like to argue, but you can't do better than that, really?

They are both human cells - living tissue. Therefore they must be human life according to the same reasoning that somehow ignores thousands of zygotes 'murdered' in fertility clinics. Sad that you ignore the most damning part of that post?

Zygote and cancer cells are same - stem cells. Cancer (ie breast cancer, leukemia, etc) is when stem cells have gone astray. Suddenly those stem cells are no longer human life because they replicate faster? Suddenly because they replicate faster, then they are no longer human?

Rather silly to somehow claim a zygote so different from other human cells. They are all human life according to those religious definitions. Why does a zygote instead have "god's seal of approval"? Silly emotion.

Torrere · 07-23-2006, 12:05 AM

A newborn baby's first neurons start to appear at 31 days

wolf · 07-22-2006, 06:02 PM

I went for first genetically unique cell. And yes, tw, I think that abortion clinics are killing children ... the problem I have with abortion is not that it is done, but that the process is cloaked in all kinds of semantic nonsense about fetus, not baby, tissue, not clump of actual living cells, etc. etc. The marketing of abortion is what I abhor. Understand what you are really doing, and make you choices based on that.

Weighing the alternatives of safe and legal vs. available either at great risk or only to the wealthy as existed before the 1970s, until there is some better alternative, I'll stick with safe and legal ... you can't reflower that particular virgin.

View Poll Results: What marks the beginning of a human life?
First genetically unique cell	8	32.00%
Birth	6	24.00%
Other (explain)	11	44.00%
Voters: 25. You may not vote on this poll

07-22-2006, 11:46 AM	#1
9th Engineer Bioengineer and aspiring lawer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 872	Emergence of humanity This is a bit of a feeler thread to scope out the sentiments on the board. When do you believe a human life begins? __________________ The most valuable renewable resource is stupidity.

07-22-2006, 12:14 PM	#2
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Some time after initial brain waves and before birth. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

07-22-2006, 12:26 PM	#3
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	When the developing fetus can support life independently of the mother. (Third trimester?) __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

07-22-2006, 01:01 PM	#7
smoothmoniker to live and die in LA Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,090	I'm with Peter Singer. I don't think they're human until 2 years old, when they become rational free agents. Anytime prior to that, do whatever you want to them. __________________ to live and die in LA

07-22-2006, 12:30 PM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Onset of neocortical brain activity (about the same time as viability)

07-22-2006, 12:41 PM	#6
Buddug Guest Posts: n/a	I would say first genetically unique cell . No one could be the person they are without that first cell . It is the beginning of a human life .

07-22-2006, 01:09 PM	#8
Buddug Guest Posts: n/a	Rational free agents at 2 ? That must be something to do with all that early learning they do in America . The British start becoming rational free agents when they are knocking on for fifty .

07-22-2006, 01:35 PM	#9
rkzenrage Guest Posts: n/a	As soon as it is a zygote.

07-22-2006, 11:51 PM	#12
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	When it has learned how to walk and talk.

07-23-2006, 12:05 AM	#14
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	A newborn baby's first neurons start to appear at 31 days

07-22-2006, 06:02 PM	#15
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I went for first genetically unique cell. And yes, tw, I think that abortion clinics are killing children ... the problem I have with abortion is not that it is done, but that the process is cloaked in all kinds of semantic nonsense about fetus, not baby, tissue, not clump of actual living cells, etc. etc. The marketing of abortion is what I abhor. Understand what you are really doing, and make you choices based on that. Weighing the alternatives of safe and legal vs. available either at great risk or only to the wealthy as existed before the 1970s, until there is some better alternative, I'll stick with safe and legal ... you can't reflower that particular virgin. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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