"Although the opinion that life begins at fertilization is the most popular view among the public, many scientists no longer support this position, as an increasing number of scientific discoveries seem to contradict it. One such discovery in the last twenty years is that research has shown that there is no "moment of fertilization" at all. Scientists now choose to view fertilization as a process that occurs over a period of 12-24 hours. After sperm are released they must remain in the female reproductive tract for seven hours before they are capable of fertilizing the egg. Approximately ten hours are required for the sperm to travel up to the fallopian tube where they find the egg. The meeting of the egg and the sperm itself is not even an instantaneous process, but rather a complex biochemical interaction through which the sperm ultimately reaches the inner portion of the egg. "
http://7e.devbio.com/article.php?id=162
2006-06-19 12:06:28 · 9 answers · asked by GobleyGook 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think there is truly a moment of conception (or a day of conception if you wish), but what that means exactly is open to interpretation. The argument is more about when that group of cells becomes "human" or "is inhabited with a spirit" than merely about when cells began to divide.
To the strictest abortion opponents, not only does life begin at conception, but "consciousness" does. For others, "consciousness" begins somewhat later, perhaps when the heart starts beating, or when the fetus begins to resemble a human, or when the fetus can sense pain.
In other words, the discussion of when "life" begins would more intelligently be framed as when "consciousness" begins, but, as you point out, the strictest abortion opponents want to confuse the issue by linking the idea of human consciousness to the point at which life itself begins so as to push the consciousness issue back to its most elementary moment. And for some, it goes back even farther! After all, Catholics consider not only the fertilized egg as holy, but the sperm and egg themselves as holy, even prior to conception!
I personally think late-term abortions should be illegal, but I see no problem with early term abortions performed when the fetus is only so many cells and has not as of yet developed the ability to sense pain.
2006-06-26 08:51:56 · answer #1 · answered by magistra_linguae 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's true that those things leading up to fertilization take time, but until the genetic material of the egg and sperm have actually joined, fertilization cannot be said to have taken place. So yes, that particular point is still a "moment", just as much as it ever was, and that precise instant (not a moment earlier, not a moment later) is when human life (or any other kind of life) begins. That is not in the slightest doubt among scientists- I speak as a professional biologist myself, so if there were any controversy on the matter I think I would have heard about it.
2006-06-19 12:17:10 · answer #2 · answered by Billy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes!
This moment is of interest, because it is when two sets of genetic information are merged into a new reproductive unit. At this point the physical and genetic aspects of a individual are for the most part fixed. The personality may not start to develop until around birth.
2006-06-19 12:16:48 · answer #3 · answered by Gray Matter 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Pro-life is an accurate term. Pro-choice sounds better than pro-abortion b/c when that choice is made a person dies. You want choice? IUDs, diaphragms, condoms, vasectomy, tubal ligation, hormone patches, etc. All those are choices. When people choose NOT to utilize them, then they're choosing to possibly create a baby. The baby shouldn't have to pay for their stupidity with its life. Go ahead w/ the thumbs down. IDGAF
2016-03-26 22:03:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a moment of conception but the question is when does a baby become a life. For me its when the heart beats.
2006-06-19 12:16:51 · answer #5 · answered by bea1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dead semen and a dead ovum will never form a baby. Therefore life, as a purely biological process, must not begin at conception.
2006-06-19 12:13:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes there is, when the sperm finally enters the inside of the egg.
2006-06-19 13:51:09 · answer #7 · answered by mxlj 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is also no "moment" of reaching adulthood - that's a gradual process but it's not any less real.
2006-06-19 12:09:00 · answer #8 · answered by tranquilitti 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's not a question of "moment", it's a question of choice
2006-06-19 12:14:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋