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From: matt@brl-tgr.ARPA (Matthew Rosenblatt )
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Re: Demarcation of life
Message-ID: <1857@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 2-Oct-85 08:25:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.1857
Posted: Wed Oct  2 08:25:33 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 4-Oct-85 05:30:28 EDT
References: <306@gcc-bill.ARPA> <2378@ut-ngp.UTEXAS> <1471@brl-tgr.ARPA> <232@3comvax.UUCP>
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 25

> > Does it really matter whether a zygote splits to become identical twins
> > or not?  When the split does occur, it happens so early that "banning
> > abortion from the time of conception" and "banning abortion from the
> > latest possible time of splitting into multiple individuals" would be
> > indistinguishable in any practical sense.  [MATT ROSENBLATT]
> 
> Please notice everybody!  Matt is here agreeing that, since the zygote
> *is* capable of becoming different individuals following fertilization,
> he is willing to forego the special "humanity" that he sees conferred
> by the initial coming together of the zygote's "unique genetic entity."  
> [MICHAEL MCNEIL]

I'm not willing to do any such thing!  A fetus's unique genetic identity
is EVIDENCE of its humanity -- it does not CONFER humanity.  

---------

With respect to the question of "natural process" and "overt aid" -- I
the lengths to which Michael McNeil has had to go in claiming that the
nourishment of the fetus requires "overt acts" (e.g., feeding herself)
on the part of the mother are a pretty good _reductio ad absurdum_ of
Ken Montgomery's argument that continuation of a pregnancy to term is
not a "natural process."

					-- Matt Rosenblatt