RE: ON ABORTION sperm, egg or embryo

abortion it's not a question on parts and pieces but a quesiotn on wholes

The question as to when the physical material dimension of a human being begins via sexual reproduction is strictly a scientific question, and fundamentally should be answered by human embryologists--not by philosophers, bioethicists, theologians, politicians, x-ray technicians, movie stars, or obstetricians and gynecologists. The question as to when a human person begins is a philosophical question. Current discussions on abortion, human embryo research (including cloning, stem cell research, and the formation of mixed-species chimeras), and the use of abortifacients involve specific claims as to when the life of every human being begins. If the "science" used to ground these various discussions is incorrect, then any conclusions will be rendered groundless and invalid. The purpose of this article is to focus primarily on a sampling of the "scientific" myths, and on the objective scientific facts that ought to ground these discussions. At least it will clarify what the actual international consensus of human embryologists is with regard to this relatively simple scientific question. In the final section, I will also address some "scientific" myths that have caused much confusion within the philosophical discussions on "personhood."

When does a human being begin?

Getting a handle on just a few basic human embryological terms accurately can considerably clarify the drastic difference between the "scientific" myths that are currently circulating, and the actual objective scientific facts. This would include such basic terms as: "gametogenesis," "oogenesis," "spermatogenesis," "fertilization," "zygote," "embryo," and "blastocyst." Only brief scientific descriptions will be given here for these terms. Further, more complicated, details can be obtained by investigating any well-established human embryology textbook in the library, such as some of those referenced below. Please note that the scientific facts presented here are not simply a matter of my own opinion. They are direct quotes and references from some of the most highly respected human embryology textbooks, and represent a consensus of human embryologists internationally.

A. Basic human embryological facts
To begin with, scientifically something very radical occurs between the processes of gametogenesis and fertilization--the change from a simple part of one human being (i.e., a sperm) and a simple part of another human being (i.e., an oocyte--usually referred to as an "ovum" or "egg"), which simply possess "human life", to a new, genetically unique, newly existing, individual, whole living human being (a single-cell embryonic human zygote). That is, upon fertilization, parts of human beings have actually been transformed into something very different from what they were before; they have been changed into a single, whole humanbeing. During the process of fertilization, the sperm and the oocyte cease to exist as such, and a new human being is produced.

To understand this, it should be remembered that each kind of living organism has a specific number and quality of chromosomes that are characteristic for each member of a species. (The number can vary only slightly if the organism is to survive.) For example, the characteristic number of chromosomes for a member of the human species is 46 (plus or minus, e.g., in human beings with Down's or Turner's syndromes). Every somatic (or, body) cell in a human being has this characteristic number of chromosomes. Even the early germ cells contain 46 chromosomes; it is only their mature forms - the sex gametes, or sperms and oocytes - which will later contain only 23 chromosomes each.1 Sperms and oocytes are derived from primitive germ cells in the developing fetus by means of the process known as "gametogenesis." Because each germ cell normally has 46 chromosomes, the process of "fertilization" can not take place until the total number of chromosomes in each germ cell are cut in half. This is necessary so that after their fusion at fertilization the characteristic number of chromosomes in a single individual member of the human species (46) can be maintained--otherwise we would end up with a monster of some sort.

To accurately see why a sperm or an oocyte are considered as only possessing human life, and not as living human beings themselves, one needs to look at the basic scientific facts involved in the processes of gametogenesis and of fertilization. It may help to keep in mind that the products of gametogenesis and fertilization are very different. The products of gametogenesis are mature sex gametes with only 23 instead of 46 chromosomes. The product of fertilization is a living human being with 46 chromosomes. Gametogenesis refers to the maturation of germ cells, resulting in gametes. Fertilization refers to the initiation of a new human being.

http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/irv/irv_01lifebegin1.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• gOat
• abortion
• rights
• pregnancy
• pregnant
• sperm
• eggs
• condoms
• pro
• life
• choice
• roe
• wade
• roevswade
• anti
• abort
• question

[fearclowns]

my girlfriend is fertile right now, i could have unprotected sex and have a baby in 9 months or i could put on a condom and stop this life. what should i do? A seed is life no matter how you look at it, everytime i put on a condom i am aborting a life that should/could/would be on this earth. Nobody is pro abortion, however we should all be Pro Choice.

[roevswade]

this is hypothetical, not a rational argument.

how do we know that your girlfriend will get pg? how can we terminate a life that dose not exist? a seed has 23 chromosomes are not 46 as human child.

[fearclowns]

Roevswade, at one time you were a sperm and an egg right? If another sperm was used to build you, Roevswade would be a completely different person, correct? of course, different double helix coding equals a different person, so to say that coding that built you was not human life is biased. You can not justify that sperm/egg is not human because its not a complete double helix coding, because neither is a fetus.

[roevswade]

There a BIG difference in a piece, a parts or a whole. Like youre fingers is a part of you but if you lose one your still you, although it may have been an important part of you it is still a piece of you, like wise a mans sperm is a part of him, but not the whole man. A women egg is a part of her, but it is not the whole her.

[roevswade]

So one must accrue that human sperm and egg are just parts not wholes but when they connect they are not longer are pieces of a man or a parts of a women, but a whole person with his or her own unique DNA. Destroy that and you have destroyed a whole person.

[JTS11d6]

Actually your skin is a cell, which is a living creature. Your hand will contain cells, be decomposed and will contain cells ect. So you think a mom that will die because of the baby or a birth? We eat animals. It is a series of chromosones, and it is a small cluster of cells. A stem cell is a small series of cells. if it will kill the mother remove it, if it's early on, and you don't want it, kill it.

[roevswade]

you stated "you don't want it, kill it."

before we say can we kill this we got to ask the question: kill what? what are you killing?

[Tonyknowsthetruth]

WE ARE CREATED IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS...INTELLIGENCE ALONE OF MANKIND, CANNOT GET YOU TO THE KINGDOM.

WE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO DEBATE ANYTHING, BECAUSE, THERE IS NO DEBATE. OUT GOD CAME TO THIS EARTH, TO GIVE US A WAY TO HIM...AND HIS NAME IS JESUS. OUR CREATOR, OUR SAVIOR, OUR GOD...BE IN PEACE...AND THIS LIFE IS PART TIME...STOP WASTING TIME, AND START LOOKING UP TO HIM. HE IS GOING TO COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. WHEN WE DIE, WE BOW TO JESUS, ALL ELSE IS IN THIS LIFE, IS NOT IMPORTANT. GBU

[MyMadra]

were you high making this vid? x]

[crgreb1]

Enjoyed your video. I'll be playing it on my internet tv channel. Search for JUSTIN PERSONHOOD.

[MasterofBates]

thats funny just last week i removed some of my skin cells and grew them in culture.. they did not wither and die, but rather proliferated. I then burned them all.

Noone had an issue with it. Even though they were a collection of cells with my dna living on life - exactly the same as when I was a mere 16cell Morula in my mum. but dare burn a zygote in the womb and I'd probly be stoned to death. its no different

[stevienickslover]

ya see i beleave that! but you have to remember that alot of pro choicers say its ok to kill babies up to 9 months, disgusting seen that my lil one was born at 8 months

[310staples603]

i just asked this on another video but it relates more here

how do you feel about plan b

it prevent the fertilized egg from implanting on the uterine walls

[ashleyaleen]

So i've never actually thought about why i believe what i believe about abortion until my teacher made me write a paper on this.. but a "human" is defined (by merriam webster) as "having human form or attributes".. and science has proven that an embryo has it's own sex, blood type, brain waves, fingerprints.. and these sound like human attributes to me... so how can you say positively that a baby in the womb is not a human?

[PhotoMe31]

I agree, but you are responsible for the life that is now in you because you had sex. Everyone knows sex causes pregnancy. If you dont want to share your body, then dont have sex. Instead of abortion, adoption is another option.Many would do nearly anything for that baby that you were to selfish to share your body with I believe that everyone has the right to choose especially in the in instance of Rape/ife of mother but I think that there are options other than killing what is growing in you.

[leiapeison]

birth control fails and rape happens. there is no right to life at the expense of someoen else's body. an unwanted fetus is a bodily violation. no one has the right to be inside me without my consent. i can deny the sharing of my body with anyone i want.

[PhotoMe31]

It was your will, since you didnt protect yourself to prevent it.