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When does human life begin? The final answer
C. Ward Kischer,Ph.D.
A human embryologist speaks out about socio-legal issues involving the human embryo.
The Science of Human Embryology
Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) wrote about the development of the chick embryo. Later,Aristotle (384-322 B.C,) wrote a treatise on his observations of development of the chick embryo and other embryos. He is generally regarded as the "founder" of embryology. Subsequently,there were many published observations of embryonic and fetal development, including drawings of a dissected pregnant uterus by Leonardo da Vinci (15th century,A.D.),albeit with certain errors.
The cell theory developed by Schleiden and Schwann in 1839 hastened our knowledge of embryology and provided for the realization that a spermatozoon fuses with an oocyte ("egg") and forms a zygote, the single celled embryo, which then divides and adds more cells and tissues in defining the developing body.
Wilhelm His (1831-1904). He developed the method of reconstruction, that is, putting together descriptive drawings from sectioned human embryos to show a three dimensional structure. Although the case for fertilization of the human oocyte by the human spermatozoon was made intuitively by observing the process in mammals more than 100 years ago, direct observation of the process in the human was made in about 1968. The significance of this was resolved experimentally with subsequent growth of the new individual and successful implantation with completion of development to birth. This was accomplished with the birth of baby Louise Brown in England in July, 1978. Other successes soon followed.
The Continuum of Life
The facts above, along with the constancy of the time of gestation, approximately 38 weeks, reasonably declare that the life of the new individual human being begins with fertilization. Virtually every human embryologist and every major textbook of Human Embryology states that fertilization marks the beginning of the life of the new individual human being.
The modern day assault on Human Embryology began in 1973 in the oral arguments of Roe v. Wade, and in the majority opinion written by Justice Harry Blackmun [4]. He wrote: "We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins". He referred to the "disciplines of medicine, philosophy and theology" as being "unable to arrive at any consensus." It appeared he was talking about biological life by inferring that "medicine" could define its beginning. But, then, Blackmun said the following: "There has always been strong support for the view that life does not begin until live birth. This was the belief of the Stoics." This was as if to say that science had not progressed since 300 B.C.
Originally posted by chrismarco
reply to post by windword
Hello,
If you do not agree that a baby not in the second or third trimester is not technically murder what would happen if somebody assaulted a women in the beginning of her pregnancy where she miscarriages...is that technically murder if a tiny fetus dies as a result of the injuries sustained or do we pick and choose what murder is to help us sleep at night?
As much as I detest abortion, the president does not have the power to end Roe v Wade.
Originally posted by cconn487
Funny because didn't Ron Paul say in a debate the first thing he would do is get rid of Roe vs Wade?
Oh right hes unelectable. Forgot that. Carry on.
Originally posted by cconn487
Funny because didn't Ron Paul say in a debate the first thing he would do is get rid of Roe vs Wade?
Oh right hes unelectable. Forgot that. Carry on.