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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!akgub!cylixd!charli
From: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Re: The Status of the Fetus and Its Rights
Message-ID: <322@cylixd.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Sep-85 10:21:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: cylixd.322
Posted: Thu Sep 26 10:21:44 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Sep-85 07:00:55 EDT
References: <429@cmu-cs-spice.ARPA> <1546@pyuxd.UUCP> <322@gcc-bill.ARPA> <1765@pyuxd.UUCP>
Reply-To: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Organization: RCA Cylix Communications , Memphis, TN
Lines: 29
Summary: 

>Why is metabolism important in determining whether something is alive?
>Or respiration?  Or reproductive capability?  Is this the Brave New World
>in which if you don't like the definition of something you just change
>it around?  Read up on viruses, my friend, and find out how they are
>distinguished from living things.  [Rich Rosen]

I'm not sure why I'm responding to this.  Rich seems to have made up his
mind and doesn't care to be confused by the facts.

Metabolism, respiration (at the cellular level), and reproductive
capacity are all criteria considered by biologists in determining
whether something is alive.  There are other criteria (e.g., cell 
structure).  By some of these criteria, viruses are a unique (and
fascinating) form of life.  By others, viruses are a unique (and still
fascinating) form of non-life.  

Of course, by biological criteria, sperms, ova, and organs may also
be alive, but they are not, in biological terms, separate organisms.
By any biological criteria of life with which I am familiar, a fetus
is alive, and is an organism separate and distinct from the mother.  

I do not believe that science is capable of providing moral or ethical
decisions.  It only provides information.  You may not agree with me
on the implications of the information, on how we should act in light of
it.  But please, before you say something stupid, look up the facts.
Base your argument on them, not on ad hominem attacks, appeals to
emotion, or the like.

		charli


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