Summations Only

Just so I am clear, can a human being be sentient while in the womb?

As with most every other part of this thread, there is no right answer to that question without first really defining which meaning you are applying to the term "sentient".Like life itself, sentience is a spectrum. There are things that are clearly sentient and other things that are clearly not sentient and in between a broad spectrum of types and ranges of things that are kinda sentient and kinda not sentient.If a fetus (not yet a human) in the womb has a developed brain and nervous system (somewhere around the third trimester) it may exhibit some of the looser definitions of sentience, but certainly not full human sentience.

That question might trigger a long discussion on the meaning of sentient. You might be able to put forward an argument for the later stages of development by some definitions if you want to try.

I don't know. Can a two-day-old anencephalic baby be sentient with no forebrain?Anencephaly - Wikipedia, if you aren't squeamish.

How do you define sentient as written in your post above?
Would your definition include a fetus in the womb?

Actually, it's a bit redundant there, because I couple it with people, and emphasise that these are persons with personalities. So no, I wasn't talking about a fetus in the womb.

You brought up sentient. You provide the definition you mean.

Look at bluegene's post above. That was the first time sentient was mentioned. I then merely asked him to define what he meant by the term.Besides, what is the problem?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I presume he doesn't define something a full person until it gains sentience. Which is why he brought that birth defect in which baby's don't develop a brain up, since they never gain true sentience, at least not in a biological manner.This tread seems to be in a bit of a slump. Several critical points have been made in regard to life and personhood. The zygote soul problem, sentience, and some parring about definitions. Can you make any conclusions with the discussed matter Shadow? In which phase do you define personhood and sentience? And if the soul is part of the answers, the problem of the zygote death rate arises once again. Or do you solely base your stance against abortion on the fact a zygote may develop into a human.It's a complex matter.. I must admit it's hard to keep track of it, especially since the question dualism also remains a important factor.

Well, I think anything related to some "soul" is utterly irrelevant. The existence of some "soul" can never be more than a religious position and a religious position or belief should never be a basis for either general moral decisions or law.

Jon, were you too short of time to reply to this post and enlighten us as to why you think it's particularly bad? Is it the claim in the first paragraph that you disagree with? If so, do tell the world why?

I'm an atheist (militant actually) and I am absolutely convinced human life begins at the point of conception.Edited by Taz, : No reason given.

I was asking bluegenes a question based upon one of his posts. I imagine that such a baby could be sentient in some way, but I don't know.

A zygote has all the information necessary for the full growth of the organism.
A stem cell in your bone marrow will make only stem cells for your marrow.

I have stated in this thread that I believe the zygote is a human being and I cited the paper by Dr. Maureen L Condic for the scientific basis for this opinion.
In re sentience, I agree with James A. Shapiro a prof at the Univ. of Chicago in the dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, who has stated single cells have some degree of sentience.Dr. Shapiro has written a book "Evolution: a view from the 21st Century" where he sets forth his theories.There is also a extensive comments about Dr. Shapiro and his work in the Forum Biological Evolution in the Thread entitled "Does the darwianian theory require modification or replacement."
The Thread is closed but if you wish you can review it.I base my opposition to abortion on my opinion that it takes the life of a human being, and I consider a zygote to be a human being and thus it has a soul.That is my moral and religious belief.