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From: keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Re: Re: Birth control by ABORTION
Message-ID: <277@cadovax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Nov-84 13:39:55 EST
Article-I.D.: cadovax.277
Posted: Tue Nov  6 13:39:55 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 8-Nov-84 19:06:28 EST
References: <1038@ut-ngp.UUCP>, <28000018@uiucdcsb.UUCP>
Organization: Contel Cado, Torrance, CA
Lines: 71


>                                              ......In the same line,
>the fact that I am a male and not a female does not make my realization
>that abortion is murder any less valid. 

>				Brad Andrews


Webster defines MURDER as:

1) To kill a person esp. with malice aforethought.

2) To kill (a human being) unlawfully and with premeditated malice.

3) To slaughter wantonly.

4) To put and end to.

First we must decide which definition we are talking about.  I propose
that we consider 1) and 2) as being indistinguishable.  'Unlawfully' could
be a key word, but that may be what we're trying to determine.  I don't
think 3) applies, the key word is probably 'wantonly'.  And 4) is so general,
I'm sure we're all guilty of this one in some context (did you finish your
breakfast?).

Using 1) and or 2):

Webster defines KILL as:

1) To deprive of life.

DEPRIVE as:

1) To take something away from.

2) To withold something from.

and LIFE as:

1) The quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from
   a dead body.

2) A principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive
   quality of animate beings

3) The sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the 
   existence of an individual.

If we pick Deprive(1) we may then have to determine if that something
exists that can be taken away.  On the other hand, if we pick Deprive(2)
that determination is not required.

When we examine LIFE, things get even more muddy, 'vital and functional'
'distinctive quality' etc..

What is clear is that it is UNCLEAR.  The definition of MURDER is based
on the definition of LIFE and whether or not one thinks that LIFE exists 
in the (prospectively) murdered body.  To bandy the word MURDER about like
a flag for some holy cause says nothing.  According to some peoples
definitions, abortion is murder.  According to other peoples definitons,
it is not.  To others still, the previously mentioned key word 'unlawfully'
may be the issue.  Within these discussions we can hardly commuinicate if
we don't speak the same language.  And in fact, it seems to be that the
very definition of the language is what we're arguing.  Perhaps we should
confine these discussions to what we think LIFE is and is not, or what
'unlawful' is and is not, as this will determine whether MURDER is the
correct word.

Keith Doyle
{ucbvax,decvax}!trwrb!cadovax!keithd