Is a fetus human?

[Jeremiahcp]

Humans were human long before DNA was discovered. I am human regardless of DNA. The fetus is human in the same way the ancestor, long turned to dust, is human.

I don't consider the remains of a once live human to be human.

 

[Curious George]

Yes, they are human because they are the beginnings of human life. Life is sacred and is the most sacred form of creation (just to let you know where and why I stand on this).

I think those were bigger questions that I asked.

Is every single cell sacred?

 

[Willamena]

Q. Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain on earth?

A. Mount Everest.
It was still there, it was the highest mountain on earth even if we did not know it.

Likewise, DNA existed long before we discovered it. And at least in many of the arguments put forth to say a fetus is human, it is assumed that the DNA is what makes us human

My claim wasn't about truth, but about meaning. The word "human" is meaningful regardless of DNA.

And would that be the same way in which a tomato is a suspension bridge? (that is to say - not)

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

What differentiates a human being from a fetus?

Being born.

 

[fantome profane]

My claim wasn't about truth, but about meaning. The word "human" is meaningful regardless of DNA.

fairnuf

 

[McBell]

Everything within the human body is human.

sweet.
I will let my pacemaker know that.

 

[Maponos]

I think those were bigger questions that I asked.

Is every single cell sacred?

Yes.

 

[Curious George]

Being born.

So if we had the ability to manufacture humans instead of grow them, these would not be human beings that we manufactured?

 

[Curious George]

Yes.

So we should treat a fetus no different than we should treat a skin cell?

 

[fantome profane]

So if we had the ability to manufacture humans instead of grow them, these would not be human beings that we manufactured?

Would these manufactured humans pass a Voight-Kampff examination?

 

[Curious George]

Would these manufactured humans pass a Voight-Kampff examination?

Sure lol.

Appreciate the allusion.

The point is that "birth" is either another vague definition or arbitrary to the consideration of "human being." I think that people who choose birth as a differentiator can be pushed more and would ultimately agree with viability, not birth.

 

[Maponos]

So we should treat a fetus no different than we should treat a skin cell?

A skin cell does not grow into human life.

 

[Curious George]

A skin cell does not grow into human life.

How does that matter if all life is sacred? A human skin cells doesn't grow into human life because it is already human life.

 

[Maponos]

How does that matter if all life is sacred? A human skin cells doesn't grow into human life because it is already human life.

Because the growth and change into a conscious being is sacred.

 

[fantome profane]

Sure lol.

Appreciate the allusion.

The point is that "birth" is either another vague definition or arbitrary to the consideration of "human being." I think that people who choose birth as a differentiator can be pushed more and would ultimately agree with viability, not birth.

Sure, I would. But I insist that it be real viability, not theoretical viability. In other words if the woman could actually go to a hospital and have the fetus removed, just because she asks for it to be removed, fine. I know that there are many cases where premature infants born survive, but there are also many cases where despite our technology, and heroic efforts on by qualified medical experts, infants born prematurely do not survive. Right now there is no hospital in the world that would induce labour or perform a C-section anymore than 2 or three days before the due date. So in real practical terms the fetus is not viable before that point (it cannot exist as an individual)

But back to the idea of your manufacture humans (glad you got my reference). I would say there would be a similar point. At some point this manufactured fetus would be able to survive on its own without the life support equipment of the manufacturer. At that point, it is an individual. Before that point, the person responsible for manufacturing this person could decide to abort the process.

 

[David1967]

Is a fetus human?

Yes

 

[InChrist]

I believe a fetus is human with human rights. Currently, at least 38 states have fetal homicide laws and...

"The Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-212) is a United States law which recognizes a fetus in utero as a legal victim, if they are injured or killed during the commission of any of over 60 listed federal crimes of violence. The law defines "child in utero" as "a member of the species Homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb" .
Unborn Victims of Violence Act - Wikipedia

Abortion is an exception under this Act, nevertheless it does establish the fetus as a human being.

 

[idav]

This forum is extremely pro choice and far Left. You won't find many pro lifers here.

Pro lifers seem to have a common misconception about pro choice people. Being pro choice doesn't mean a person would themselves choose to abort. The difference is, for me anyway, I'm not going to sit there and judge people who have the unfortunate circumstance of needing an abortion.

 

[Curious George]

Because the growth and change into a conscious being is sacred.

OK so not all life is sacred but "the growth and change into a conscious being" that sacred?

 

[Curious George]

Sure, I would. But I insist that it be real viability, not theoretical viability. In other words if the woman could actually go to a hospital and have the fetus removed, just because she asks for it to be removed, fine. I know that there are many cases where premature infants born survive, but there are also many cases where despite our technology, and heroic efforts on by qualified medical experts, infants born prematurely do not survive. Right now there is no hospital in the world that would induce labour or perform a C-section anymore than 2 or three days before the due date. So in real practical terms the fetus is not viable before that point (it cannot exist as an individual)

But back to the idea of your manufacture humans (glad you got my reference). I would say there would be a similar point. At some point this manufactured fetus would be able to survive on its own without the life support equipment of the manufacturer. At that point, it is an individual. Before that point, the person responsible for manufacturing this person could decide to abort the process.

Individual just means single. I would think that generally if I could create an adult not a fetus, and then at some point animate them and they twirled around seven times before becoming conscious then I could terminate them at any step in the process before they became conscious without moral blowback.