[A Fetus Is Human]

Not quite. a fetus is human. No one can deny it. A cancerous tumor growing on your lung is human, too. So is a cyst obstructing your bowel, or a diverticulum in your throat. They're all undeniably made of human cells with a full complement of chromosomes and a nucleus no different from any other cell's in your body.

And so?

Until such a time as cloning becomes widespread, yes.

And so?

Of course it's innacurate. The mother only has one appendix (assuming she has one at all). Her feet are not her appendix, either.

And so?

Stick to fundamentals. A fetus cannot exist alive outside thee mother's womb. It is, essentially, a parasite on the mother's body. If she doesn't want it there, there's no reason why she should keep it there. Whether it is or not her appendix, or human, or genetically distinct (all of which are given because otherwise it would not be a human fetus), are irrelevant facts. So is the fact that the fetus can feel pain, assuming it can. Body parts, for example, react to various stimuli. Cancer cells grow their own blood supply and defend themselves as best they can. So what?

Hey - a fetus CAN exist outside the mother's body......several weeks before it is 'born' usually. Should there be another word to describe a fetus when it has reached the developmental stage where it can survive out of the womb? Do you have an argument for an abortion just minutes prior to natural delivery? i.e. woman's 'fetus' is at 40 weeks gestation, she is in labor, she decides she doesn't want to deal with the baby ruining her life, is this an appropriate time to choose to abort it? Should she have the right to about it at full gestation? Remember is has not been 'born' yet.

[A Fetus Is Human]

No. Life is self-generated action. THAT is the fundamental difference between a fetus and a baby, and that is why killing a fetus is NOT infanticide.

Is an 18 year old an 'adult'? How about a 17 year old? does it happen when you are 20? Aren't these just words that we make up to describe stages of life? Sure they work to help us manage the world, driving age, drinking age etc. but in a conversation such as this does the choice of word mean anything?

How can calling a "developing human being" a fetus vs. infant vs. child vs. adolescent make any difference to the fundamental question?

A fetus can be 'born' and survive well before full gestation. How does that make it any less human.

[A Fetus Is Human]

No. Life is self-generated action. THAT is the fundamental difference between a fetus and a baby, and that is why killing a fetus is NOT infanticide.

Can you elaborate on this?

I get the difference in word definition - fetus - infant, whatever. I don't want a debate about words, I am really interested in the issue.

"Life is self-generated action" doesn't seem to be much of an explanation. I am trying to understand your point, but can't.

Thank you.

[A Fetus Is Human]

A tumor will never become an adult human being. It will never think. It is merely a disease.

A fetus is like a human being in a comma, incapable of the total range of human experience, but deserving of rights because it can, or at least will wake up.

The question of "is a fetus a human being?" is separate from "is this act of abortion, or all acts of abortion acceptable?". You can make the case that abortion is self-defense. To compare a fetus to a tumor however, is absurd and irrational.

Tumor/Fetus comparison is totally absurd, I agree. I will add that a fetus is NOT 'like' a human being in a coma. A fetus is a human being who is conscious and can hear, see [light and dark], taste, smell and most importantly think! A person could argue that a 'couch potato' is incapable of the total range of human experience.......[joke]

At what point are the cells specialized enough to do this? [think] Does it matter? [something to debate]

This photo was taken during fetal surgery - fetus's [baby's] hand grasping the surgeon's finger. http://www.snopes.com/photos/medical/thehand.asp

There seems to be a great debate about how it happened, once again I ask - does it really matter? I'm just forwarding this to those who can't visualize a fetus - newly developing human being.

The only rational conclusion you can draw is that a fetus is definitely a human being. My experience has shown me that very young babies are capable of reason, but cannot verbalize it yet. In fact their pure selfishness makes good sense and is very logical and reasonable.

I could also argue that I've met several people [fully developed] who don't think. I don't know how you could prove that a fetus can't.