But of course. Ensoulment is an article of faith. Conception is science. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas did not have the tools of science at hand that we do. Hence, they made bad conclusions scientifically which affected their theology.
I've been studying this issue for some time now. The science is clear, biogenesis is the law of the land, new human life begins at conception. These things are not arguable though you can find arguments in "science" texts debating when human life begins. Junk science borne of ideology.
Of course there is junk theology as well.
Nobody gets a pass here at FR. :-}
Nascent future potential versus the present actual. Some find that relevant, and some don't. Still, I have more of a conscience issue with even legalized first trimester abortions, than I do with legalizing how one manages one's final exit (although that one in practice would have some downside risk as well). But then, when I consider it time to depart this mortal coil, the legalities will be of absolutely no interest to me. And so it goes.
They certainly knew how conception took place. They knew that a "life" was growing. That was not the issue. The issue was the theory or concept of ensoulment, which has no scientific basis. When Pius IX issued his determination that a fetus had a soul at conception, it still had no scientific basis, nor is their any evidence he had any more biological knowledge than did Augustine, whose determination of no ensoulment was based on the unformed and non-animated body of the fetus, which are still facts today.
I've been studying this issue for some time now. The science is clear, biogenesis is the law of the land, new human life begins at conception
You should give Augustine some credit. He knew that the life growing from a "seed" was indeed a human, but so unformed as to make it unready for the soul. No amount of biogenesis is sufficient to counter the point made by Augustine. The early fetus has no central nervous system, no arms, legs, sexual distinction, mind, nor any of the physical attributes that distinuish a human being from any other early stage animal. Augustine's determinations of ensoulment and Pius' later countermanding of that are both simply philosophical calls, not based on any science.
This is purely an article of faith. Both sides of the issue have credibility...until the fetus is in its later term. Then, I believe, common sense and the Constitution come into play.
Nobody gets a pass here at FR
You got that right!