From: smccabe@author.ecn.purdue.edu (Sarah A McCabe)
Newsgroups: talk.abortion
Subject: Re: Survey...
Date: 28 Jul 92 20:45:53 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <64456@hydra.gatech.EDU> rpitts@emperor.gatech.edu (Richard Pitts) writes:
>
>Note: part 'a' of the question deals with the unborn and part 'b' 
>is related, but applies regardless of the answer to part 'a'.
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------
>OK, so here are my questions:
>
>FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SURVEY, FOR ALL QUESTIONS, CONSIDER ONLY PREGNACIES
>THAT ARE NOT CAUSED BY RAPE OR INCEST AND DO NOT THREATEN THE PHYSICAL
>LIFE OF THE MOTHER.
>
>1) a)Do you believe the unborn entity constitutes a life? (y/n/?)
      yes, as do haploid humans (sperm and eggs to most of you)
>   b)At what point does life begin?
>                   (0-9 month of gestation, birth, 0-9 months post birth, etc.)
      Life began a long time ago.  Each sperm and egg is an individual life,
      as is a fertilized egg.
>
>2) a)Do you believe the unborn entity has any rights? (y/n/?)
      yes
>   b)At what point do rights begin?
>                   (0-9 month of gestation, birth, 0-9 months post birth, etc.)
      After myelination (~23rd week)
>
>3) a)Is the unborn a person (similar, but for a better understanding)? (y/n/?)
      No.
>   b)At what point does personhood begin?
>                   (0-9 month of gestation, birth, 0-9 months post birth)etc.)
      After birth when the baby's heart starts beating like a human's and
      it starts breathing on its own.
>
>4) a)Should abortions be restricted based solely on the amount of 
>     time since conception? (y/n/?)
      No.
>   b)At what point should abortions be restricted? 
>                   (0-9 month of gestation, birth, 0-9 months post birth, etc.)
      After viability, there could be restrictions on the procedure of
      abortion, but not the availability.
>
>5) Should viability (as provided by advanced technology) be the basis
>   of whether an abortion is morally ok?  (y/n/?)
      Morally?  I can't answer for anyone's morals but my own (and my
      moral criteria is based on myelination as stated above).
>
>6) Is it morally wrong to abort 
>   a) a life? (y/n/?)
       No.  (ejaculation and mensturation are fine too)
>   b) a person? (y/n/?)
       Yes, if that were possible, but it is not by my definition of person.
>   c) a viable life? (y/n/?)
       This is very situational dependent.  There are some situations where
       I would see it as a moral act and otheres where I would not.  However,
       even in situations where I would see it as immoral, I would not want
       to impose my morals on the woman involved, just as I would never try
       to forbid you from having children for reasons which I see as
       immoral (i.e. to vicariously fulfill your unrealized dreams through
       your children's lives).  
>   d) because of the mother's desires? (y/n/?)
       Again this is very situationally dependent, but in most cases I 
       would not find it immoral and in no case would I want to legally
       proscribe an action solely because I do not approve of the actor's
       motivations.
>
>7) Should it be legally wrong to abort 
>   a) a life? (y/n/?)
       No.
>   b) a person? (y/n/?)
       Again, by my definition this is impossible, but if possible, I would
       want it legal.
>   c) a viable life? (y/n/?)
       No.  (although I would support some restrictions on the method of 
       abortion.)
>   d) because of the mother's desires? (y/n/?)
       No.
>
>FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SURVEY, FOR ALL QUESTIONS, CONSIDER ONLY PREGNACIES
>THAT ARE NOT CAUSED BY RAPE OR INCEST AND DO NOT THREATEN THE PHYSICAL
>LIFE OF THE MOTHER.
>
>Thank you for your time.
>
>Sincerely,
>Richard Pitts

Sarah McCabe
Newsgroups: talk.abortion