Quote:
Originally Posted by Flabbibulin
If anything, I would argue that it is easier to argue from a moral perspective that a newborn is only a potential person (ie not self aware). From a scientifc standpoint however, there is no single point or event in the development of an infant (from brain development to physical development) that signals a major shift to a higher state of being. Obviously major developments occur progressively, but there is no one moment where we can scientifically, and therefore legally, say that personhood has been acheived- only thing we have is delivery.
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Certainly delivery is a clear-cut solution. Everybody knows what a delivery is and it's very easy to show when it occured...certainly one of the best legal solutions to the case.
From a biological point of view, it's less optimal. All delivery represents is the moving of the fetus from mother to open world. However, we also have a poor crop of options as for biological definitions. Months is possible, but we have to decide what month it's set at...what qualifies someone to live? Our nervous system? Circulatory? The purely academic answer is given here, but it'd be near impossible to apply in reality.
Ultimately, the answer isn't going to be perfect...something will give, be it the biological reasoning or the ease of legal application.
Agreed with the defining "higher state of being" part, something I was trying to state from the start (in terms of sentience)