PHLB09H3 Lecture 12: Abortion
Document Summary
Final exam: specific debates made by philosophers: final cumulative. Medical considerations are not the only considerations but do impact. Things to consider: to life or quality of life. People will have different views, often rooted in deep intuitions about rights. We tend to think we have all the facts we need this is usually not the case. What(cid:495)s involved in having a real conversation about what ethics might have. Often, emotions get high because there is a lot at stake. It might be the person sitting next to you. Late 19th century: ensoulment happens at conception. English common law: abortion fine before quickening. Fertilization: when the sperm penegrates the egg. Zygote: the sperm and the egg create a single cell. Blastocyst: when the zygote gets to the uterus and grows, it becomes a hollow sphere of cells. Embryo: the blastocyst lodges in the lining of the uterus (implantation) Viability: approx 24 weeks; when fetus can feasibly survive outside uterus.
