(July 30, 2013 at 2:51 pm)Slave Wrote: By 20 weeks gestation no, a brain is present, however the ability to respond to external stimuli via the neocortex and not a reflex action of the spinal chord does not present itself until 23 weeks + and fetal awareness at 29 weeks or so. As far as functioning is concerned, I assume you mean functioning as in sentience as I detailed above?
That's open for discussion.
Note that 90% of abortions occur during the first trimester. The laws on the books now prevent a woman from having a late term abortion unless her life was in danger. I'm open to debate on whether that cut-off should be week 21 instead of week 24 if that would settle the abortion issue once and for all.
Quote:Because when we talk about human rights, of which one I view to be the right to life, the level of development of the human brain is not a prerequisite (is not mentioned). It is simply if they are human. And since a human is a human from conception, they deserve the same rights as you and I do.
And I view right to life as being a function of the brain, not taxonomic classification. We may just agree to disagree on that point.
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"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
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"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist