I would argue that the issue is not whether it is human, but rather whether it possesses in current actuality that special, fundamental characteristic that separates humans from all other living entities - possession of a self-aware human level consciousness capable of abstract thought. It's our consciousness that makes us people and gives us identity.
The problem with a fertilized egg or fetus (no brain), an early stage fetus (barely functional and still forming brain), and a later stage fetus (developing and empty brain) is that they all lack anything resembling human level self awareness and at best have the level of consciousness of a goldfish. You cannot kill a person that does not exist and never existed.
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u/WhippersnapperUT99 Jul 20 '23
I would argue that the issue is not whether it is human, but rather whether it possesses in current actuality that special, fundamental characteristic that separates humans from all other living entities - possession of a self-aware human level consciousness capable of abstract thought. It's our consciousness that makes us people and gives us identity.
The problem with a fertilized egg or fetus (no brain), an early stage fetus (barely functional and still forming brain), and a later stage fetus (developing and empty brain) is that they all lack anything resembling human level self awareness and at best have the level of consciousness of a goldfish. You cannot kill a person that does not exist and never existed.