in response to the original question posted, it seems that a liberitarian would face the same challenge as anyone else, when does life begin. many libs take the stance that you are not truly a functional being until you have the capablitly of abstract reasoning ( the ability to compare nontangibles, ideas etc.) but as many of us know, there are a massive amount of adults lacking this ability who are guaranteed rights and services based on their age alone. i believe a liberitarian might answer that all conscious being are guaranteed a "bubble" of personal freedom around them, which still leaves the question is the fetus a being of its own , on its own, with its own thoughts and capabilities. no political philosophy stance can answer te abortion question because they rely on hard science and facts for their empirical proofs. and to date the science on this issue is muddled at best. too many special intrest groups on ither side seem to have attempted to polarize the issue instead of taking an honest look at it. which leaves the rest of us with what we have learned from others and our own gut reaction.