When Is Human Life A Human Being?

http://www.freebritannia.co.uk ^ | 6/16/2003 | Marvin Galloway

[MHGinTN]

In a recent article for First Things, Maureen L. Condic, PhD, Assistant professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Utah, presents a convincing argument for meaning of the death protocol (used when organ harvesting is anticipated) to also be used when contemplating prenatal life. She has stated accurately that, “… the loss of integrated bodily function, not the loss of higher mental ability, is the defining legal characteristic of death.”

...

To paraphrase Dr. Condic’s assertion: to be alive as an ORGANISM, the organism is functioning as an integrated whole, rather than life being defined solely from an organ, a form within the organism. …

In order to accurately apply the meaning of the death protocol offered in Dr. Condic’s article, we will have to show how an embryo is more than a mere collection of cells. We will have to show how the embryo is in fact a functioning, integrated whole human organism. If the embryo can be defined on this basis, the definition of an alive, individual human being would fit, and the human being should be protected from exploitation and euthanasia.

What is the focus of the transition from embryo age to fetal age are the organs of the fetus. It is generally held that the organs are all in place when the individual life is redefined as a fetus. The gestational process during the fetal age is a process of the already constructed organs growing larger and more functional for survival. But during the fetal age, the not yet fully functional organs are not the sole sustainer of the individual life. The placenta is still drawing nourishment from the woman’s body and protecting the individual from being rejected as foreign tissue. If we are to apply the notion of a functioning integrated whole to define individual aliveness, the organs necessary for survival must all be included. Since the primitive brain stem and other organs such as primitive lungs, to be relied upon at a later age in the individual’s lifetime, are not yet fully functional, some other organ will have to be responsible for the functioning whole.

[MHGinTN]

The complete article is here.

[MHGinTN]

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[MHGinTN]

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[MHGinTN]

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[LiteKeeper]

read later

[toupsie]

I think Democrats define "Life" based on an entities ability to be signed up for a Government program. Thusly, the Republicans should push for a new entitlement program for fetuses. Or even better, expand a current one. The WIC program might be suitable to expand to included fetuses -- Women, Fetuses, Infant and Children. Abortion then would become a method of denying a "Life" the right to their Government entitlement. You know how Democrats hate that!

[mommadooo3]

When Is Human Life A Human Being?

When sperm and egg collide.

[MHGinTN]

Sat! You may be onto something there!

[DoughtyOne]

Looks to me like they are still trying to get by for the first trimester.

It seems to me that if a egg has been fertilized and is living within the host, then it is alive. It will if uninterruped, become an adult human being. To stop this process, one must take intervention and end the process. That termination is ending life IMO. I realize many will disagree.

I think it reasonable to use this definition because I honestly do see fertilization outside the body as a possible medical technique. Outside the body this fertilized egg would not be viable to become an adult human. It would be fertilized but die shortly therafter.

Look, this is a tough issue. I'm not sure what it will take for folks to agree on this.

For me it has to do with the fertilized egg being in a host and in healthy condition headed toward birth.

Now, is the other an actual life? In my ultimate heart of hearts I believe so. I do not however see it as the same type of termination, since it will not continue to birth under normal conditions.

[Servant of the Nine]

When Is Human Life A Human Being?

When sperm and egg collide.

If there is a fire in a building and infants are inside, every fireman will rush in to save them, regardless of the risk.

If there is a fire in a building and petri dishes containing living fertilized eggs are inside, how many firemen will rush in to save them?

In the real world, if it isn't breathing on it's own, it isn't human.

So9

[South40]

When Is Human Life A Human Being?

When it STOPS voting democRAT.

[XBob]

So, you are at it again - I recommend you read your own post, and figure out that an embryo cannot be sustained without respiration from its mother, therefore, an embryo can not be considered an organism (check the definition) any more than your thumb is an organism, or can your detached thumb wriggle around by itself and grow up into a person?:

" If we are to apply the notion of a functioning integrated whole to define individual aliveness, the organs necessary for survival must all be included. "

Please free your toes, they are just dying for their individuality.

[mommadooo3]

How many of 'your' firemen are Christians?

In a God-centered world/'real-world', those babies in a petrie dish are no different than babies in a human 'dish'.

[watchin]

In the real world, if it isn't breathing on it's own, it isn't human.

Not quite. Scott Peterson's baby wasn't yet breathing on its own.

If it isn't breathing on its own, but still in the womb, and you kill it (outside of an abortion clinic), you'll find yourself on trial for murdering a human.

[watchin]

So by your reasoning, it's not a individual until the cord is cut? Until then, it's no different than the mother's toe?

The baby (assuming he's leans conservative) really won't be fully independent until he's eighteen or so (dems never outgrow dependence).

[XBob]

Mama - you have a strange god who kills 40% of all humans beings (your definition of a fertilized egg) before they even get to be a fetus. What a cruel god you have.

[TheCrusader]

All this amounts to is scientists playing the role of moral theologians, which is insane. Theologians defer to science and medicine when the situation requires it, the same should be true the other way around. Sad to say this will never happen in a society that legislates God out of the public arena. As we drift further and further from our Christian roots we will see more and more the god of science fashioning some bizarre combination of an Orwellian government and a Jules Verne culture. And it's all to make us 'healthier, happier and live longer'. I wonder if when they are finally finished there will there be anyone around who will want to live longer?

[XBob]

My definition of an individual human being, is when he can sustain his own life with his own organs. That is sometime in the last trimester.

[PhoenixTears]

From the tone of this article, it seems that embryos/fetuses are parasites. *flame suit ON*