When does human life begin?

[fiveworlds]

In my completely personal opinion I would consider the fetus to be human once cognitive development has begun. Which is usually sometime around week 6

Edited January 29, 2015 by fiveworlds

[caters]

I've given you scientific and linguistic reasons why a) you can come up with different options b) it is a pointless exercise.

 

 

It has been said that humans have an eighteen months gestation period. It's just that the last nine months are spent outside the womb.

 

Human characteristics are not fully present until adulthood and one could easily make a case for saying a child is not human till at least their first birthday. So, why are you arguing for a cut off point at birth, rather than a later date - say when theory of mind is evident? You appear to have chosen upper and lower limits for your range simply because they are conventional and obvious. Is that truly a "scientific minded" method?

 

 

I have heard more along the lines of the newborn stage being from birth to 3 months and that sometimes being called the fourth trimester since the baby still wants the mother's comfort and warmth and to hear hear heartbeat and lots of other things and that 3 months old is the end of the gestation period.

[zapatos]

In my completely personal opinion I would consider the fetus to be human once cognitive development has begun. Which is usually sometime around week 6

Can you pleaes provide a source for that assertion? From what I can find congnition seems to begin much later as the brain is still in early stages of development at week six.