Is there any real debate among biologists whether life begins at conception? I'm told that the human zygote meets all 7 of the characteristics of a living organism (Movement, respiration, sensitivity, nutrition, excretion, reproduction, growth).
So is there a consensus among scientists? Biologists? Embryologists? Does the majority believe that life begins at conception?
Sources are appreciated!
Thanks.
2007-07-30 10:12:16 · 5 answers · asked by Hilary H 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
I mean to ask, is there a consensus among embryologists, biologists, etc. that human life begins at conception and, therefore, the human zygote is a living organism? Again, sources are appreciated.
2007-07-30 10:41:31 · update #1
Former biologist here. Human life begins at conception.
But realistically, this isn't a question for biology. It's a social problem -- society defines "human life" differently from the way a biologist would define it. A zygote does not walk, talk, think, watch TV. A zygote has potential but does not have dreams and ambitions. A zygote does not have the "integrated consciousness" that makes us the thinking beings that we are later in life.
2007-07-30 11:45:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This issue is not a scientific problem, it's a legal, ethical, and moral problem. Obviously life begins at conception, and since it's a life that is the descendant of human beings, it's a human life. The big issue is "what rights, if any, do we want to give a zygote or fetus, and at what point in development?".
2007-07-30 10:22:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
The important thing is not whether a zygote/fetus/whatever is alive. A single cell is alive, so obviously a collection of cells are alive.
The important thing is whether or not we are causing any suffering. A zygote does not have a functional brain. Killing it is akin to killing a fly. It does not have sufficient mental complexity to feel pain.
2007-07-30 10:18:50 · answer #3 · answered by lithiumdeuteride 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Hi, I am a fourth senior biological science major and to answer your question no there is no debate. As posted earlier a single-celled organism is alive and that is a scientific community concesus. The debate is "where does human life begin". I personally believe that it is at conception, but there is no scienific-community concensus on that!
2007-07-30 10:23:34 · answer #4 · answered by zach k 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To hard to determine. It wasn't like at 12:04 pm, 2 million years ago, an ape turned into a human. It obviously occurred over time. So I'd imagine it would have to be a range, as opposed to a solid date.
2007-07-30 10:18:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋