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A fetus clearly is a collection of human cells. It is an example of living Homo sapiens. The question abortion ethicists ask is whether a fetus or embryo is a
by mercutio2 4y ago
A fetus clearly is a collection of human cells. It is an example of living Homo sapiens.
The question abortion ethicists ask is whether a fetus or embryo is a person.
If, in fact, all embryos are persons, then the logical ethical reasoning would be that taking steps to minimize miscarriages should be one of our highest priorities. This doesn’t appear to match most people’s moral intuitions, however.
It is not obvious that a newborn baby is a person, either. But defining a being as receiving the rights of a person at birth is a schelling point that many people are more comfortable with than spots earlier or later in development.
- rich_sasha 4y agoThat's it. And I'm wary of intuitions, because clearly people have very different intuitions. What's the scientific argument for or against personhood for the unborn homo sapiens?
- zajio1am 4y agoGenerally, brain and neural system complexity is seemed to be necessary for personhood. During fetal development, the evolutionary older parts forms earlier, while cerebral cortex starts to develop at the end.
- wilsonnb3 4y ago"personhood" is not a scientific term so there is no scientific argument for or against. It is a philosophical question.