From: utzoo!decvax!yale-com!brunix!dkw Newsgroups: net.women Title: Re: Rational Argument Against Abortion Article-I.D.: brunix.1341 Posted: Wed Feb 2 12:23:39 1983 Received: Thu Feb 3 06:59:41 1983 References: ihnp1.163 In Mike Dolan's argument that there is no particular moment when life begins, because nothing fundamental changes, he also leaves no particular moment when life ends (I'm not eating write now, but I think I'm alive). The obvious (and perhaps soon legally accepted) definition of death is the moment when brain activity ceases. As far as I'm concerned that is what defines humanity, so that definition seems correct. Then we can define the begining of life symetrically as the time when brain activity starts. This is at about the 28th to 30th week of pregnancy. I might be convinced that abortions after that are immoral (but ok to save the mother's life), but abortions before the start of brain activity must be allowed. David Wittenberg {decvax|vax135|yale-comix}!brunix!dkw