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In 1973, the Supreme Court made one of its most controversial decisions, declaring most anti-abortion laws unconstitutional. Now on November 4th, the people of South Dakota will head to the polls to vote on a proposed statewide abortion ban. With emotions running high on both sides, how should abortion be legislated in tomorrow’s America? (Editor's Note: On November 4th, South Dakota voters rejected Measure 11 to ban abortion.)
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Debate misses the key point
Life begins
We can't ignore medical science.
At 21 days, the heartbeat can be heard. At 40 days, brain activity can be detected.
In a hospital, these are often used to determine the beginning and end of life. So if the cessation of these is the definition of dead, should we adpot these as the beginning of life? Would you therefore banning all abortions after 21 days? 40 days?
- DominicSavio
November 2, 2008 12:24AM
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Medical science and life
DominicSavio said "At 21 days, the heartbeat can be heard. At 40 days, brain activity can be detected."
Maybe. But a heartbeat is not the essential characteristic of human life. All animals have heartbeats, but we kill them all the time. And even humans in persistent vegetative states also have heartbeats but are often allowed to die precisely because it is the mind, not the heart that defines human life.
The same can be said for brain activity. It is not enough to have an "active" brain. Animals have those, too. The brains of humans in vegetative states also have active parts (the parts that keep there lungs and heart pumping, for example). It must be a brain with consciousness, awareness, person-ness. And since there is no clear definition of when that begins, or even what it is, I reject those criteria.
(Aside: 59.3% of abortions in the U.S. are performed at 8 weeks of gestation of less (Wikipedia). That's 56 days, which is pretty close to your 40 day suggestion. So probably close to half of abortions might be acceptable to you, right?)
Sid
- SidAirfoil
November 4, 2008 7:26AM
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