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Show Page 8 The UTAH. INDEPENDENT October 6, 1972 ABORTION Continued from Page vanishes, existence no longer remains as a right, but becomes a to be granted or denied by those in authoritative privilege positions, by majority vote, or by the caprice of an unreasoning mother. The Nature of Existence There is but one approach that can be taken in dealing with the subject of abortion metaphysical the approach. 'branch of philosphy which involves the attempt to understand . the Metaphysics is a and inanimate realms. Since abortion is dealing with the destruction of the human embryo or fetus, it is necessary to examine the biological nature of these entities and apply this information to another division in the Ethics of philosphy attempt to determine the correct behavior of men toward these intrauterine stages. Among those who advocate abortion, who state that a chromosomes (filaments containing genes). When the sex cells are formed, each sperm or egg contains only one set of chromosomes, but when a sperm fuses with an egg the full complement of chromosomal It is at this pairs is terminate a pregnancy simply because she desires to do so, there are two significant groups. One group states that the entity within the uterine cavity is not a living human being, that the embryo or fetus is simply a cluster of multiplying cells that could be considered as a part of the mothers body. The other group considers the embro or fetus to be human, but argues that there is a conflict between the rights of the mother and those of the unborn child. That the mother must have full control over her body, and that if she is denied this right she will fall victim to the rights of the unborn. point, at the time of the formation of the zygote (the cell formed by the fusion of the sperm and egg) that a new organism comes into existence. In huma reproduction, the sperm fertilizes the egg in the upper portion of the oviduct. A new human life thus begins its existence in the cavity of the oviduct, and since it takes several days for the new organism to reach the uterus, it is already an embryo by the time it enters that organ. The Point of Separation One frequently hears the argument that the zygote, embro or fetus is a part of the mothers body over which she must have control. Without question, this is not the case. Once sperms and eggs are discharged from the sex organs, they are no longer a part of the organism which produced them. These highly specialized cells, which have been produced by a special form of cell division other body cells, are (meiosis formed by process of mitosis), are of no value to the organism which formed them (as regards the maintenance of its own life) thus they either degenerate or they are released from the sex organs and pass into a tube on their way out of the body. Ultimately a small fraction of The Essentals of Reproduction Among Vertebrates What is the actual nature of the intrauterine stages and does a real conflict exist between the mother and the unborn? In order to answer these questions it will be necessary to briefly analyze the known essentials of reproduction, particularly those factors which apply to vertebrates, of which the human is the most advanced form, and correlate this knowledge with the issue of the rights of the embryo or fetus, and the mother. -X Call ABC Feiciig oad Wtldiig t 't " -- X x- - X- - X- - X- - For All Your x Fence Needs X- 990 W. 400 South Centerville, Utah Phone h - 295-100- 6 LORAN HERBERT the reproductive process and the first stages of human life have been established, it is now that older humans find it possible to pretend that these a Metaphysical Approach there are two sets of woman should be able to Sexual reproduction O - nature of existence, to explain and scientifically analyze natural phenomena, both in the animate The Paper.' That Dares To Take A Stand of. sight, reproduction accomplished by means of the production of sperms and eggs, and their is subsequent fusion characteristic of most forms of life, and is the only method of reproduction possessed by numerous animal groups (for example, all vertebrates). Once a mature animal produces the sex cells, they arc released from the organs in which they formed (the testis or ovary) and usually pass into ducts leading to the outside of the organism. Either the sperms and eggs are released into water, at which time fertilization occurs immediately, or sperm cells are introduced into the female tract and fertilization will eventually take place within the body of the female. The essential point is, that at the time of fusion of sex cells, a new generation of a species is produced. Within each cell of an animal 1 I younger humans are not living or arc not human. If the growth of necessary to relate this these discarded sex cells will the unborn child were to be knowledge to the issue of rights. Those that contend that the fuse. Under no circumstances observed by the mother, the could one consider mature issue of abortion would most intrauterine being is not human released sex cells, or any likely never have become a have no problem in their concern, attempt to settle a controversy matter of world-wid- e subsequent organism resulting from the fusion of these cells, as for what psycholocically healthy over rights, for if this living a part of the individual which mother, seeing the unborn child thing is not human, it can within herself, would choose to possess no rights. Since it is a generated them. well substantiated fact that the (Although the human embryo destroy it.) attaches itself to the wall of the Metaphysically, by its nature, zygote, embryo or fetus is a uterus in order to gain needed every new human life must human being, their argument substances from the mother for spend the first months of its becomes meaningless and its growth and development, it existence in an aquatic requires no further discussion. Those who contend that a does not fuse with this organ but environment, within the remains as a distinct new life amniotic sac, if it is ever to human life is existing within the existing within the cavity of the experience a later stage of mother during the- period of human existence. No human life pregnancy do ascribe rights to mothers reproductive tract.) Human life therefore has its has ever bypassed this this new human life, but is it at argued that the rights of the beginning (is viable ) at a point in requirement, or ever will time when the necessary genetic least not for many millions of mother take precedence over information, half coming from years, if then, considering the those of the unborn child and the father and the other half present rate of evolution. Every thus she has, or should have, the from the mother, is brought new human life must also have legal and moral right to together by the fusion of the first been a zygote, then an terminate the life of this new released sperm and egg to form embryo and finally a fetus individual at any, or certain d the zygote. This before it is prepared to live limited, stages of its existence. individual organism cannot be a outside the fluid medium. To This latter position requires a examination. part of the mother (it has an contend that human life is only succinct ' A woman must have full that entirely different set of human at the time of birth, chromosomes), but is a separate the intrauterine entity is not an control over her own body at all and unique human life. actual, but only a potential times. She must be free to take human being, is untenable. any action which deemed All Vertebrate Life Begins necessary to sustain her life. For If Not a Human Being, in an Aquatic Environment instance, if it can be medically determined that carrying her There is another important, Then What Is It? but generally overlooked, aspect For those who insist that unborn child to term would of the development of human life begins only at birth, probably result in her death, she vertebrates which is germane to the question that must be asked cannot be expected or required the discussion of abortion and is: What is this entity developing to sacrifice her adult which would shed light on the within the uterus if not an actual independent life for the life of nature ,of the intrauterine human being? Is it possible that an immature, dependent embryo or fetus. It is a well by some magic, at the time of offspring. (Actually, in many known biological fact that all birth, that this alleged potential such cases, both the mother and vertebrate life must begin in an being is somehow, within a the fetus could die, resulting in aquatic environment. Fishes and matter of minutes, transformed the loss of two lives, instead of amphibians generally release the into an acutal human being? To just one.) Since medical science sex cells into a body of water rational individuals, in has advanced to a point at which and the zygotes and embryos possession of scientific facts, the such life and death situaitons develop there. In the land answer is incontrovertible. Both rarely occur, the argument in vertebrates, which do not the unborn child and the new favor of abortion in order to deposit their eggs into water, a born child is an actual human preserve the life of the mother sac forms around the embryo being, and at the time of birth, has only limited application. which fills with fluid. the child is merely moving from Although this is the case, the Consequently, each vertebrate, one required environment legal code should specifically including the human, must (aquatic) to a new required grant abortion if the mothers spend the first developmental environment (gaseous) so that it life is seriously jeopardized, phase of its life in a water can continue to develop into the which it has done throughout medium, and it is only after the succeeding stages of its life until the history of this nation. new organism has achieved the it eventually ends its existence at Mitigating Circumstances necessary physical development the time of death. fishes and facts The Are there other circumstances to (not accomplished by biological relating some amphibians), that is is able to continue its life in a gaseous environment. 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