Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site watcgl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watcgl!gcsherwood From: gcsherwood@watcgl.UUCP (Geoffrey C. Sherwood) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: A Response to the Straw Man Argument Message-ID: <580@watcgl.UUCP> Date: Wed, 13-Jul-83 03:03:00 EDT Article-I.D.: watcgl.580 Posted: Wed Jul 13 03:03:00 1983 Date-Received: Wed, 13-Jul-83 06:49:31 EDT References: <358@trw-unix.UUCP> Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 38 If there was EVER a straw man argument, Prudence, our heroine, used it with the "slighty" loaded term of Anti-life in regards to abortion. With the exception of a small lunatic fringe (VERY small if they are sincere about it), people are not anti-life. In fact, quite a few of us rather enjoy it at times. As always, the abortion argument centers about one (1)(I)(uno) crucial argument: Is the fetus a person. If it is, abortion is murder. QED. The only exception is the case where the mother's life is seriously threatened (e.g., fallopian pregnancy) where if the fetus is not aborted both will die. Rape is not a factor. After all, it is not the fetus's fault, and the fetus should not be punished for the crime of another. If the fetus is not a person, then the whole argument is moot. All agree that before conception an egg is not a person. Most agree that when the fetus is capable of surviving on its own it is one. The question then is when during the 6-9 month period from just prior to conception to the time the fetus is viable does the transition to personhood occur? I am not really sure myself, but my belief is that it is in the range of the beginning of brain activity (but even simple brains [rats, fish] show activity) to viability. Hence, before brain activity begins, I consider the fetus to be a potential person, but having no rights thereunto. Indeed, it is a parasite (albiet a much loved one in most cases) and can be disposed of (IF so desired) arbitrarily. But anti-life? If I kill a fly, am I anti-life? If there is some other basis for argument on abortion, I have yet to see it. fire when ready, gridley, - geoff sherwood - - U. of Waterloo -