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From: egs@epsilon.UUCP (Ed Sheppard)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.women,net.abortion
Subject: Re: a pro abortion argument
Message-ID: <29@epsilon.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 25-Jan-85 13:01:35 EST
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Posted: Fri Jan 25 13:01:35 1985
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From Larry Cipriani:

> (For an argument against faith read 'Atheism: The Case Against God')

>                                    I would add that this period of being
> 'brain dead' lasts roughly 28 weeks.

As far as the first goes, arguing against (the existence of) God in not the
same as arguing against faith, per se.

For the second, I'd like to see some facts on this. 1) What is the technical
meaning of 'brain dead' (i.e. what are the testable characteristics of this
state), and what do physicians presume these characteristics to indicate?
2) When does a fetus begin to exhibit neural activity of the kind we
associate with un-'brain dead' individuals?

Frankly, while not terribly knowledgeable about these matters, I would suspect
that neural activity (in the strictest sense) begins far before 28 weeks.

This seems to tie in with Jeff's 4-6 month proposal. I find un-'brain dead'
a far more palatable decision mechanism than either time since conception
or 'viability.'

Please, no responses of the sort 'is this guy an idiot, or what?' This is
an honest request for information.

						Ed Sheppard
						Bellcore