when does life begin?

alix2.0

Active Member
ok, i admit, im trying to start a controversy here. keep it mature. the stem cell thread got me thinking.
 

veni vidi vici

Active Member
"When Does Human Life Begin?
There is a tremendous consensus in the scientific community about when life begins. This is hardly controversial. If the claim were made that life was discovered on another planet, for example, there are well-defined criteria to which we could refer to conclusively determine whether the claim was accurate. How do scientists distinguish between life and non-life?
A scientific textbook called “Basics of Biology” gives five characteristics of living things; these five criteria are found in all modern elementary scientific textbooks:
1. Living things are highly organized.
2. All living things have an ability to acquire materials and energy.
3. All living things have an ability to respond to their environment.
4. All living things have an ability to reproduce.
5. All living things have an ability to adapt.
According to this elementary definition of life, life begins at fertilization, when a sperm unites with an oocyte."
 

jackri

Active Member
Life at birth needs a little explanation.
Viability is around 26 weeks? So... if the mother was in a car accident and dies the the baby could still be "born" and live. Yet if you abort the baby at 26 weeks it was never alive?
I like the double standard of you kill a pregnant women, it's a double murder. If she has an abortion its ok.
 

gypsana

Active Member
I have a story that is hard for me to remember, but I hope it may help others make a better decision. When I was 18 I became pregnant and do to my lifestyle I had to have an abortion. The first issue with this is that to this day I still have a problem with it. I never really wanted children but no matter how many times they tell you that an abortion is no big deal they are wrong. The second part of this that makes it worse for me is that I knew I was pregnant instantly. I felt something that is hard to explain, but I told my partner I was pregnant right after you know what. He thought I was crazy, well I was not. I have never felt anything like that again and I know that it was the spirit of that child entering my body. Like I said this is still very hard for me to this day and in my deepest hopes I hope it makes people at least think twice before they make such a decision.
 

reefkprz

Active Member
I know people that are 50 years old that dont have a life, so i would say it depends on the individual...........
 

jackri

Active Member
I had a gf in high school that had said if she ever got pregnant she would have an abortion (before we took that step in the relationship). I never cared either way up until that point where it could potentionally affect the rest of my life and decided it's not something I could live with knowing so I opted out... we didn't break up over it but needless to say she wasn't happy. It's also a lot of weight on a young person's mind that unfortunately is put there daily in our society.
But... it's based on decisions and being able to be responsible for those decisions IMO.
 

spiderwoman

Active Member
I have mixed feelings about that. After having a total of 7 miscarriages in my life and 6 during trying to concieve and we finally had our twins...
For me *when the life begins* is when a fetus is viable to live outside the vomb which is around 24-26 weeks at the earliest. I'll just leave this answer at this, otherwise i'll write a novel.
Just so you know, I don't believe in abortion as a means of birthcontrol and couldn't personally do it no matter what (well if I was raped, then maybe yes).
 

tank a holic

Active Member
I'm very sorry for your losses
my sister had a miscarriage and I saw the pain it caused....
I agree that abortions are bad but....
If a woman is raped, or the pregnancy is determined medically that it will kill the woman and the baby then I can understand..
the problem is if you let the woman who was raped have one and the medically unable to give birth woman have one then you cant stop the I like to party and get wasted and have 1 night stands but screw the baby I want an abortion woman from having one also (she'll say she was raped)
there is no easy answer to the abortion issue but I will never tell a woman "I'm sorry you were raped ma'am but you need to carry that crack head's baby then you can put it up for adoption"
could you?
 

jackri

Active Member
Originally Posted by SpiderWoman
http:///forum/post/2981467
(well if I was raped, then maybe yes).
I'll agree with you there, as truely the woman had no choice, but then at the same time I'd charge the guy with murder too --- that just how infuriating those criminals are to me
 

wfd1008

Member
Originally Posted by Veni Vidi Vici
http:///forum/post/2981224
"When Does Human Life Begin?
There is a tremendous consensus in the scientific community about when life begins. This is hardly controversial. If the claim were made that life was discovered on another planet, for example, there are well-defined criteria to which we could refer to conclusively determine whether the claim was accurate. How do scientists distinguish between life and non-life?
A scientific textbook called “Basics of Biology” gives five characteristics of living things; these five criteria are found in all modern elementary scientific textbooks:
1. Living things are highly organized.
2. All living things have an ability to acquire materials and energy.
3. All living things have an ability to respond to their environment.
4. All living things have an ability to reproduce.
5. All living things have an ability to adapt.
According to this elementary definition of life, life begins at fertilization, when a sperm unites with an oocyte."
veni, i agree with what you wrote, but i think one thing has been left out here, or should be re-worded by the scientists and that is instead of just reproduction, it maybe should state DNA. the reason i bring this up is i can think of one non-living thing that has all 5 traits.
 

veni vidi vici

Active Member
Originally Posted by SpiderWoman
http:///forum/post/2981467
For me *when the life begins* is when a fetus is viable to live outside the vomb which is around 24-26 weeks at the earliest. I'll just leave this answer at this, otherwise i'll write a novel.
I would only ask this.Does this mean that when a woman has 8 limbs 2 hearts,2 brains.....contained within and part of her body, is this only one life ?
 

veni vidi vici

Active Member
Originally Posted by wfd1008
http:///forum/post/2981489
veni, i agree with what you wrote, but i think one thing has been left out here, or should be re-worded by the scientists and that is instead of just reproduction, it maybe should state DNA. the reason i bring this up is i can think of one non-living thing that has all 5 traits.
I didint write that in addition to put it in quotation i should have also posted the source.
But i am curious to what this one thing is?
 

jackri

Active Member
You could also ask the question when does life end?
People on ventilators aren't viable either within 26 weeks of their death :p
I'm not trying to start a whole new debate but the whole "life" and "death" issues (coma patients, terminally ill, youthinasia (ok I can't spell it right so its phonetically spelled) are always hot topics right or wrong.
 

wfd1008

Member
Veni Vidi Vici;2981503 said:
I didint write that in addition to put it in quotation i should have also pasted the source.
But i am curious to what this one thing is?[/QUOTE
fire. i think a person could argue that fire meets those five points. just a thought to ponder on.
 

veni vidi vici

Active Member
EMBRYO
The cells of the embryo now multiply and begin to take on specific functions. This process is called differentiation. It leads to the various cell types that make up a human being (such as blood cells, kidney cells, and nerve cells).
There is rapid growth, and the baby's main external features begin to take form. It is during this critical period (most of the first trimester) that the growing baby is most susceptible to damage. The following can interfere with the baby's development:
* Alcohol, certain prescription and recreational drugs, and other substances that cause birth defects
* Infection (such as rubella or cytomegalovirus)
* Nutritional deficiencies
* X-rays or radiation therapy
WEEK BY WEEK CHANGES
The following list describes specific changes that occur in the womb:
* Week 3 of gestation
o The brain, spinal cord, and heart begin to develop
o The gastrointestinal tract begins to develop
* Weeks 4 to 5
o Arm and leg buds become visible
o Brain develops into five areas and some cranial nerves are visible
o Eyes and ear structures begin to form
o Formation of tissue that develops into the vertebra and some other bones
o Further development of the heart which now beats at a regular rhythm
o Movement of rudimentary blood through the main vessels
* Week 6
o Arms and legs have grown longer, and foot and hand areas can be distringuished
o Hands and feet have fingers and toes (digits), but may still be webbed
o Brain continues to form
o Lungs begin to form
* Week 7
o Nipples and hair follicles form
o Elbows and toes visible
o All essential organs have begun to form
* Week 8
o Eyelids are more developed
o External features of the ear begin to take their final shape
o Facial features continue to develop
o Intestines rotate
The end of the eighth week marks the end of the "embryonic period" and the beginning of the "fetal period".

To me the above is a living human baby

* Weeks 9 to 12
o Eyelids close and will not reopen until about the 28th week
o Face is well formed
o Limbs are long and thin
o Genitals appear well differentiated
o Red blood cells are produced in the liver
o The head makes up nearly half of the fetus' size
o The baby can make a fist with its fingers
o Tooth buds appear for the baby teeth
* Weeks 13 to 16
o Fetal skin is almost transparent
o Fine hair called lanugo develops on the head
o Meconium is made in the intestinal tract
o More muscle tissue and bones have developed, and the bones become harder
o The baby begins to make active movements
o The liver and pancreas produce fluid secretions
o Sucking motions are made with the mouth
* Weeks 17 to 19
o Baby can hear
o Baby makes more movements
o Mother may feel a fluttering in the lower abdomen
* Week 20
o Lanugo hair covers entire body
o Eyebrows and lashes appear
o Nails appear on fingers and toes
o The baby is more active with increased muscle development
o Mother can feel the baby moving
o Fetal heartbeat can be heard with a stethoscope
* Weeks 21 to 23
o Bone marrow begins to make blood cells
o The lower airways of the baby's lungs develop but still do not produce surfactant (a substance that allows the alveoli to open for gas exchange)
o Baby begins to store fat
* Week 24
o Eyebrows and eyelashes are well formed
o All eye parts are developed
o The baby has a hand and startle reflex
o Footprints and fingerprints forming
o Air sacs form in lungs
* Weeks 25 to 28
o Rapid brain development
o Nervous system developed enough to control some body functions
o Eyelids open and close
o Respiratory system, while immature, has developed to the point where gas exchange is possible
* Weeks 29 to 32
o Rapid increase in the amount of body fat
o Rhythmic breathing movements occur, but lungs are not fully mature
o Bones are fully developed, but still soft and pliable
o Baby's body begins storing iron, calcium, and phosphorus
* Week 36
o Lanugo begins to disappear
o Body fat increases
o Fingernails reach the end of the fingertips
* Weeks 37 to 40
o Lanugo is gone except for on the upper arms and shoulders
o Fingernails extend beyond fingertips
o Small

[hr]
buds are present on both sexes
o Head hair is now coarse and thicker
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by tank a holic
http:///forum/post/2981476
there is no easy answer to the abortion issue but I will never tell a woman "I'm sorry you were raped ma'am but you need to carry that crack head's baby then you can put it up for adoption"
could you?

Something is wrong with our society when we value a woman's feelings over a human life...
 
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