Newsgroup: it.cultura.religioni.cristiani
Titolo: When Does Human Life Begin?

Scott F. Gilber
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When Does Human Life Begin?
This is a note that may generate some discussion and debate. It was 
occasioned by a bulletin board set up by a political action group at 
our college. The board claimed that while philosophy and religion 
may have different opinions concerning when life begins, science has 
no such problems. Students were told that biologists were unanimous 
in agreeing that life starts at fertilization, and that there was no 
dispute in the scientific literature. Besides being a parody of 
science (i.e., that scientific facts are the objective truth and 
that all scientists agree about what these facts mean), it is wrong. 
I have read a wide range of scientific positions on when life 
begins, and these positions depend on what aspect of life one 
privileges in such discussions. Here is my classification scheme 
concerning when human life begins. You may have others.
The metabolic view: There is no one point when life begins. The 
sperm cell and egg cell are as alive as any other organism. 
The genetic view: A new individual is created at fertilization. This 
is when the genes from the two parents combine to form an individual 
with unique properties. 
The embryological view: In humans, identical twinning can occur as 
late as day 12 pc. Such twinning produces two individuals with 
different lives. Even conjoined ("Siamese") twins can have different 
personalities. Thus, a single individuality is not fixed earlier 
than day 12. (In religious terms, the two individuals have different 
souls). Some medical texts consider the stages before this time 
as "pre-embryonic." This view is expressed by scientists such as 
Renfree (1982) and Grobstein (1988) and has been endorsed 
theologically by Ford (1988), Shannon and Wolter (1990), and 
McCormick (1991), among others. (Such a view would allow 
contraception, "morning-after" pills, and contragestational agents, 
but not abortion after two weeks.) 
The neurological view: Our society has defined death as the loss of 
the cerebral EEG (electroencephalogram) pattern. Conversely, some 
scientists have thought that the acquisition of the human EEG (at 
about 27 weeks) should be defined as when a human life begins. This 
view has been put forth most concretely by Morowitz and Trefil 
(1992). (This view and the ones following would allow mid-trimester 
abortions). 
The ecological/technological view: This view sees human life as 
beginning when it can exist separately from its maternal biological 
environment. The natural limit of viability occurs when the lungs 
mature, but technological advances can now enable a premature infant 
to survive at about 25 weeks gestation. (This is the view currently 
operating in many states. Once a fetus can be potentially 
independent, it cannot be aborted.) 
The immunological view: This view sees human life as beginning when 
the organism recognizes the distinction between self and non-self. 
In humans, this occurs around the time of birth. 
The integrated physiological view: This view sees human life as 
beginning when an individual has become independent of the mother 
and has its own functioning circulatory system, alimentary system, 
and respiratory system. This is the traditional birthday when the 
baby is born into the world and the umbilical cord is cut. 
-- 
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(...)
Gilbert, non Gilber, giusto per poterlo poi trovare sul web.
Qui c'e' un commento in italiano proprio dell'articolo che posti:
http://www.caffeeuropa.it/pensareeuropa/279tonini.html
Bellissimo articolo, che rivela che la situazione per quanto riguarda
l'inizio della persona e' piu' complessa di quanto spesso vogliono
farci credere...
Grazie,
Daniele


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Complimenti per l'acutezza dell'analisi.
Vorrei che mi commentassi in qualche modo l'interessante paradosso dei
gemelli che si possono formare fino al 12' giorno dal concepimento.
Un individuo ne diventa due? un'anima diventa due?
Dovrai ammettere che la "truth" non e' poi cosi' semplice...
Fammi sapere...