05-26-2022, 09:56 PM
The real question here is - what is the point at which a foetus should be recognised as a human with human rights? It is perhaps safe to say that as long as it is in the womb, its right to life will be subordinate to the right to life of the mother, in the event of medical complications developing. But such special cases aside, at what point should it be seen as living?
'Maximalist positions' such as 'at conception' or 'at birth' are based on religion and convenience, respectively.
Historically, the baby kicking was seen as the point at which it had life - in certain cultures.
The current position in abortion laws centres around 'foetal viability'. But this too, is a definition of convenience. Stephen Hawking couldn't survive on his own either, doesn't mean that he should've been left to starve in the hallway in Cambridge.
A sensible point of departure between foetus sans rights to foetus with rights is the point at which the brain has developed to a point where it is distinguishably superior to that of an animal. A baby is born with 100 billion neurons. A cow has 3 billion. Since people eat cows, the point at which the foetal brain has developed in excess of 3 billion neurons could be used for the distinction.
This also means that creatures such as orcas, with 10 bn + neurons, should have rights similar to human babies.
'Maximalist positions' such as 'at conception' or 'at birth' are based on religion and convenience, respectively.
Historically, the baby kicking was seen as the point at which it had life - in certain cultures.
The current position in abortion laws centres around 'foetal viability'. But this too, is a definition of convenience. Stephen Hawking couldn't survive on his own either, doesn't mean that he should've been left to starve in the hallway in Cambridge.
A sensible point of departure between foetus sans rights to foetus with rights is the point at which the brain has developed to a point where it is distinguishably superior to that of an animal. A baby is born with 100 billion neurons. A cow has 3 billion. Since people eat cows, the point at which the foetal brain has developed in excess of 3 billion neurons could be used for the distinction.
This also means that creatures such as orcas, with 10 bn + neurons, should have rights similar to human babies.