Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site psivax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!psivax!friesen From: friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) Newsgroups: net.abortion Subject: Re: Re: If life begins at conception, th Message-ID: <162@psivax.UUCP> Date: Wed, 28-Nov-84 12:59:53 EST Article-I.D.: psivax.162 Posted: Wed Nov 28 12:59:53 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 30-Nov-84 19:16:41 EST References: <2152@stolaf.UUCP> <71400002@trsvax.UUCP> <4182@cbscc.UUCP> Reply-To: friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley friesen) Organization: Pacesetter Systems Inc., Sylmar, CA Lines: 23 Summary: In article <4182@cbscc.UUCP> pmd@cbscc.UUCP (Paul Dubuc) writes: >From a biological standpoint, it seems to me that sex cells only become >an individual, a human being, when a certain specific event takes place: >conception. After that it grows on its own. If a human life begins at >conception it is not because of its potential to be human life, that potential >has been fulfilled. > This is incorrect, from a biological standpoint the moment of fertilization(conception) is not particularly special. To summarize: 1) The ovum is freed from the mother when it is ejected from the ovary, in a sudden manner. 2) The only *immediate* effect of fertilization is to stimulate undifferentiated cell division. 3) The genetic impact of fertilization is delayed until cell differentiation begins, some time later. Therefor -- Biologically there are *no* clear, sharp dividing lines, and *any* demarcation point is of necessity arbitrary. The issue must therefore be decided on different grounds.