CASE FOR INDIVIDUAL HUMAN LIFE BEGINNING AT CONCEPTION:
Definition of Terms:
1. being - that which exists as an actuality
2. human being - of the species Homo sapiens
3. person - living human being possessing a rational nature
4. nature - essence; distinguishing quality or qualities
5. individual - (n.) a single or particular being; (adj.) existing as a distinct entity
6. form, n. - shape, structure or external appearance of a thing
7. substance - essential part; that which underlies all outward manifestations; real, unchanging essence or nature
8. transform, v. - to change the form of; to change the shape or appearance of; to metamorphose
9. gametes - reproductive cells (sperm, egg)
10. conception - formation of zygote by union of two human gametes
11. zygote - union of two human gametes at conception, which union possesses all the necessary requirements for human life
12. human life - cells possessing 45-47 human chomosomes (DNA) and necessary requirements for biological life
13. necessary requirements for sustainable biological life - cells, organization, metabolism, homeostasis, reproduction, growth and development
Major Premise: All cellular life containing 45-47 human chromosomes (DNA) and the biological characteristice necessary to sustain life is human life.
Minor Premise: The individual human zygote contains 45-47 human chromosomes (DNA) and the biological characteristcs necessary to sustain life.
Biological Facts of Minor Premise:
1) Two human reproductive cells (precursors of human life),
neither of which alone is capable of producing or sustaining human life (each lacking necessry number of chromosomes to produce human life, and necessary biological characteristics to sustain human life);
2) unite to produce the zygote (conception), which has the necessary characteristics for human life: (a) 45-47 human chromosomes (DNA), and (b) the biological characteristics necessary to sustain human life;
3) which zygote from the moment of its formation (conception) is of the same human nature (DNA) as the human gametes which formed it, has its own unique genetic code, needing no new genetic information to make it a unique individual;
4) and which zygote then transforms through various forms and stages into a unique mature human being of the same human nature as the human gametes which formed it.
(NB: The zygote develops through stages to the blastocyst, where it may then collapse, splitting the fundamental genetic material in half, leaving the same genetic material divided on two opposite sides of the embryo, and causing two separate fetuses to develop. . .in which case, there are now two individual human lives emanating from the same individual human life originating at conception.)
Because the human zygote from the moment of its formation (conception) has all the requirments for human life [fact 2), above], has its own unique genetic code, and needs no new genetic information to make it a unique individual,
Conclusion: Therefore, the human zygote is an individual human being in its initial form.
The zygote--like the newborn, the infant and the adolescent--needs only to develop in accordance with its already-designed nature received at conception.
The human zygote is human life in its intial form. This is factual empirical knowledge in the field of human biology, and is not based in metaphysical contention.
Humans do not come from a zygote, embryo, fetus, adolescent--humans once were a zygote, embryo, fetus, adolescent.
The conceived is a being who is in the process of becoming, it is not a becoming who is striving toward being.
It is not a potential human life, but is a human life with great potential.
The same being that begins as a zygote continues to birth and adulthood. There is no decisive break in the continuous development of the human entity from conception to death that would make this entity a different individual before birth.
Therefore, common sense, based on human biology, verifies that individual human life begins at conception.
Definition of Terms:
1. being - that which exists as an actuality
2. human being - of the species Homo sapiens
3. person - living human being possessing a rational nature
4. nature - essence; distinguishing quality or qualities
5. individual - (n.) a single or particular being; (adj.) existing as a distinct entity
6. form, n. - shape, structure or external appearance of a thing
7. substance - essential part; that which underlies all outward manifestations; real, unchanging essence or nature
8. transform, v. - to change the form of; to change the shape or appearance of; to metamorphose
9. gametes - reproductive cells (sperm, egg)
10. conception - formation of zygote by union of two human gametes
11. zygote - union of two human gametes at conception, which union possesses all the necessary requirements for human life
12. human life - cells possessing 45-47 human chomosomes (DNA) and necessary requirements for biological life
13. necessary requirements for sustainable biological life - cells, organization, metabolism, homeostasis, reproduction, growth and development
Major Premise: All cellular life containing 45-47 human chromosomes (DNA) and the biological characteristice necessary to sustain life is human life.
Minor Premise: The individual human zygote contains 45-47 human chromosomes (DNA) and the biological characteristcs necessary to sustain life.
Biological Facts of Minor Premise:
1) Two human reproductive cells (precursors of human life),
neither of which alone is capable of producing or sustaining human life (each lacking necessry number of chromosomes to produce human life, and necessary biological characteristics to sustain human life);
2) unite to produce the zygote (conception), which has the necessary characteristics for human life: (a) 45-47 human chromosomes (DNA), and (b) the biological characteristics necessary to sustain human life;
3) which zygote from the moment of its formation (conception) is of the same human nature (DNA) as the human gametes which formed it, has its own unique genetic code, needing no new genetic information to make it a unique individual;
4) and which zygote then transforms through various forms and stages into a unique mature human being of the same human nature as the human gametes which formed it.
(NB: The zygote develops through stages to the blastocyst, where it may then collapse, splitting the fundamental genetic material in half, leaving the same genetic material divided on two opposite sides of the embryo, and causing two separate fetuses to develop. . .in which case, there are now two individual human lives emanating from the same individual human life originating at conception.)
Because the human zygote from the moment of its formation (conception) has all the requirments for human life [fact 2), above], has its own unique genetic code, and needs no new genetic information to make it a unique individual,
Conclusion: Therefore, the human zygote is an individual human being in its initial form.
The zygote--like the newborn, the infant and the adolescent--needs only to develop in accordance with its already-designed nature received at conception.
The human zygote is human life in its intial form. This is factual empirical knowledge in the field of human biology, and is not based in metaphysical contention.
Humans do not come from a zygote, embryo, fetus, adolescent--humans once were a zygote, embryo, fetus, adolescent.
The conceived is a being who is in the process of becoming, it is not a becoming who is striving toward being.
It is not a potential human life, but is a human life with great potential.
The same being that begins as a zygote continues to birth and adulthood. There is no decisive break in the continuous development of the human entity from conception to death that would make this entity a different individual before birth.
Therefore, common sense, based on human biology, verifies that individual human life begins at conception.
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