A real debate on abortion

And now, my response: Firstly, a human embryo contains the chromosomes and the genes of an individual human. Therefore, it is a human life. Do you decide that it is not so? The only reason anyone would claim that anyone would not call a human embryo a human would do so in order to justify its death. There are more than enough authoritative, public resources to prove human life begins at fertilization: "Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm (spermatozoo developmentn) unites with a female gamete or oocyte (ovum) to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual. " "A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i. e. , an embryo). " [1] "[The zygote], formed by the union of an oocyte and a sperm, is the beginning of a new human being. "[2] "Although life is a continuous process, fertilization (which, incidentally, is not a 'moment') is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new genetically distinct human organism is formed when the chromosomes of the male and female pronuclei blend in the oocyte. " [3] Secondly you are right, there may be justification of death. However, there is no justification of killing an unborn child. Do mothers kill their children out of the womb? No, it everyone agrees it is wrong, immoral, unethical, etc. It is in fact murder. I back myself with an absolute standard of morality. If you believe that morality is relative, then that is different. In this case, no one can prove anything is wrong or immoral, because it is relative. So in order to prove your case, you must either give an absolute standard, or you must give me a convincing explanation of why abortion should be allowed. You attempt to do so next. "1. No harm comes to a conscious, independent being. The embryo is not aware of itself yet, no bonds have been formed and the child could not survive outside the womb. " The first part I do not understand your point. What does it matter that the embryo is aware of itself? (Plus you are assuming that) No bonds have been formed? There is an obvious physical bond formed. A one-year-old child would not survive by itself, it must be cared for or else it is child-abuse. As far as I can tell, you have made no significant argument. "2. Presumably, the parents have reason to believe they are unfit to take care of their child. There is a substantial chance that the child will grow up in a poor environment. I believe it is morally reprehensible to intentionally bring a child into the world that will not be cared for. " So you are saying that if a person is in poor environment, you have the right to put them out of their misery? You have the right to kill them? You think it is morally reprehensible that a person should only live if they are brought up in circumstances that you decide and not them? A mother has a young child, but realizes she cannot feed both herself and the child. Thus she kills her child. Is this morally right? You know it is not. 3. The government is not responsible or trustworthy enough to make decisions like this on an individual's behalf. Correct, our government is not smart enough or have the guts to make such a decision. It was our government that stated, "The judiciary, at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to. .. resolve the difficult question of when life begins. .. since those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus" [4]. In biological terms, is a settled fact. Individual human life begins at fertilization as I previously explained. However, I believe a proper government should give every human the right to life. So maybe we should make some changes in our government. [1] Keith L. Moore, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 7th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2003. pp. 16, 2. [2] Keith L. Moore, Before We Are Born: Essentials of Embryology, 7th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2008. p. 2. [3] Ronan O'Rahilly and Fabiola Mï¿½ller, Human Embryology and Teratology, 3rd edition. New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001. p. 8. [4] Roe v. Wade, 410 U. S. 113 (1973).