Abortion/Consciousness/Life

[Chas]

No, you are not getting it. At some point during pregnancy, the fetus becomes viable. At that point it is another human being and has rights, too.

Is it OK for a woman to abort 1 hour before delivery? 1 day? 1 week?
When?

I don't think any forms of abortion should be illegal. I think women should be strongly encouraged to give birth to viable fetuses so long as their life is not in danger. I do not, however, believe that they should be forced to do so.

That is absurd 'logic'. The fetus is not making a choice. It is helpless and not responsible for even its existence.

Is your argument that a fetus may be aborted right up to the moment of birth?

Should be, no. May be, yes.
I will say for I think the millionth time (not to you my sweet chas but just in general), there's no point in discussing late term abortions. Less than 2% of abortions are late term. If we had real sex education and easy affordable access to birth control and early term abortions, late term abortions would be almost completely eliminated outside of emergency situations where the mother's life is at risk.

I'm not actually arguing about late-term abortion, per se. I know that they are not common and are generally medically indicated.

I am trying to find a rational, humane, ethical basis for abortion law.
The facts are:
When a baby is born, that baby is legally a person.
Before that, there is a point where the fetus is viable. It is difficult to argue that that is not a person.
Somewhat earlier, there is a point where the fetus has a complete nervous system and brain. That fetus can feel/experience pain.
Earlier than that, it is difficult to say that the fetus is a person.

We can make the boundary for personhood anywhere from conception to birth. Let's choose a rational, humane, ethical one.

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Sure, but not "the right to life at the involuntary expense of another human's body"

Except it isn't involuntary. Not at 7+ months.