Summations Only

Sorry for the misunderstanding.Do I understand that your postion is that human life begins over the first few years after birth?

Would you agree that at some point human life begins, even if, as you say its gradual?
Saying it is gradual necessarily admits that at some time it begins. Or am I missing something?

the OP is about when human life begins. As an aside, that perhaps I should not have gotten into, is the abortion issue.
I am not prochoice because I believe once life begins it should not be destroyed.
I can see Percy getting upset about being off thread.
So all I wanted were whether there are medical, scientific facts or opinions as to when human life begins.

I am truly saddened when a woman miscarries, losing the baby she loved and wanted to abring into the world. But I am more saddened when a woman decides that she does not want the human life and intentionally ends that life. I am saddened when I know any life ends. If in fact life has begun I mourn the loss of that life. For me life has begun when the Lord says it has begun. This OP is as to whether medicince-science know when life begins. If we lost a child at 1 minute or 8 months I am saddened by that loss. By your logic miscarriages at 1 month are not as bad as miscarriages at 8 months. I don't feel that way. You are attributinig your moral opinions to me. You can't do that because you do not know me and what I think and feel.

What saddens me is the intent of the woman who took the morning pill in full knowledge that it will abort the baby developing in her womb. Why would she take the pill if she doesn't want to abort? Did you ever consider that your opinions hold no weight with anyone other than the people that hold your opinion. Pretty lame analogy if you ask me. What your are saying is that my opinions if based on my beliefs are inferior to your opinions that are based upon your beliefs.Edited by shadow71, : No reason given.

Could you possibly define "moral agency" for me. I am of the opinion that human life at some point begins. Do you deny that propostion?

I appreciate your post but it does not answer the question of this OP namely when does human life begin. Your are discussing quality of life not the beginning of life.
An answer to the OP I just found can be found at this the link below, by Maureen L. Condic a Prof. of neurobiology and Anatomy.Her answer supported by scientific research is that human life begns at the moment of the sperm-egg fusion or the formatin of a zygote. This formation of the zygote initiates a sequence of events that establish the molecular conditions that are required for the continued embryonic delevopment.Westchester Institute.

What is your opinion as to when human life begins? You get all upset because I present a qualifed scientist's opinon as to when life begins supported by scientific studies and opinions.Is this paper uncorrect?
What does science say as to when life begins?
If it doesn't agree with your findings is it pretend?Here is a quote from Alan Guttmacher. Is he all wet and pretending science falls in line with his already beliefs? "A facet that makes the obstetrician's burden unique in the whole field of medicine is his double obligation; he simultaneously cares for two patients, the mother and the infant...The essential step in the initiation of life is by fertilization, the penetration of the ovum by a spermatozoan and the fusion of the two cells into a single cell." - Dr. Alan Guttmacher, ardent proponent of abortion, in his book Pregnancy and Birth: A Book for Expectant Parents New American Library; Revised Ed edition (January 1, 1962) He was the president of Planned Parenthood and fought to make and keep abortion legal.I think you should attack the paper upon it's scientific findings instead of rejecting it out of hand because of the philosophy of the group presenting the author.Edited by shadow71, : spellling

I was discussing human life and that was the topic of this tread.I respectfull disagree that the question of when an individual life begins is not revelant to the abortion debate.
I think all agree that the intent of abortion is to eliminate a human life. See Planned Parenthood.How would you define "personhood"? Is threre no human life until personhood?
That's, in my opinion, a pretty dangerous moral slope to stand on.

That may well be true, I can't answer that question. I have expressed my opinion based on my moral essence. I then linked a biologists who is of the scientific opinion as to when life begins. I am not trying to convert anyone to my beliefs.
The purpose of the thread was to disccuss whether there was a scientific consensus as to when life begins.
It appears to me that that consensus is either at conception or shortly thereafter, but I may be wrong.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I meant human life, the subject of this tread. That is your opinion and she obviously disagrees with you. I don't know your qualifications, but do know she is a qualified biologist. If you are also qualfied to give that opinion then there is disagreement.
That's part of life, no pun intended.

I don't think that is the consensus of the scientific community from the papers I have read.
As for the legal aspect the court is talking about viability not the beginning of human life.

Is it Planned Parenthood's position that life begins at birth?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can you link me to information supporting those statements?

You didn't answer the question. Are you a qualified biologist with the biological knowledge to refute her scientific statements? Do you refute her qualifications? By the way you can google her and review her CV. I did not see in her paper anything about the solar system, caterpillars or european colonies.
She wrote a paper on the biolgical scientific evidence of when human life begins.
Can you refute her SCIENCE?