Abortion

Abortion - deliberate termination of pregnancy - usually before 24 weeks.

Personhood - when one confers human - moral status

1. Conception - unique selection of genetic info

may become a unique human if allowed to develop

Problem- calling a fertilised egg a "person" stretches term beyond normal usage of the word

- fertilized egg is a lump of cells (will grow into human), however its like an acorn and oak tree. 

2. Primitive Streak - cells structured into individual form - earliest trace of embryo

provides structure for embryonic structure to organise and align

up until this point it was not know how many individuals will form

Problem - same as above;

3. Consciousness - mental rather than physical - state of being aware, awake & sensitive

sensory experience - ability to feel pleasure and pain

rationality - ability to develop complex language & tools

Self consciousness- sense of own past & future + free will

Problem - animals feel pleasure and pain + some have complex communication and tools, young babies are not self aware but still person.

4. Viability - ability of independent survival

can survive at birth & exist independently outside mother - considered a person

Problem - medical technology…