[WikiEN-l] NPOV: Fetus personhood

Thu Jul 28 03:58:03 UTC 2005

--- Daniel Mayer <maveric149 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> --- steve v <vertigosteve at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Question: Is it POV...

> Yes it is since the term is loaded, not unlike
> 'partial-birth abortion' vs
> 'intact dilation and extraction' or using the term
> 'unborn baby' instead of
> fetus/embryo/zygote.  The reason; the non-medical
> terms were designed to confer
> a value judgment. 

Well, I dont think others here will agree with your
reading of NPOV. 
Likewise your statement is confusing, because you dont
keep "loaded" in context--in politics, I assume --
however politics isnt the only context of the debate.
All of it has bearing. 
Likewise you imply that the medical-technical terms
like "IDE" are somehow neutral, or otherwise
non-judgemental. Perhaps this is best reworded that
both sides deliberately obfuscate the terms in 
political attempts to either de-humanize or humanize
the fetus. NPOV relevancy: Its important not to
confuse cold, technical, clinical, "medical" terms
with NPOV terms. Note that bedside manner requires
doctors to echo the sentiments of the parent(s): Ie.
abortionists might call it "tissue," while OBGYNs
might call it a "baby."

> 'Human life' is also an odd term to use in this
> context since any cell from a
> human is by definition human life. 'Independent
> human life' is another thing
> altogether but in terms of gestation, would only
> include a viable fetus. 

I dont think this is correct in the most precise or
even common use of the terms. While "human life"
requires "human (animal) cells", the cells themselves
arent particularly human (as Daniel pointed out).
Biologically speaking, theres little to distinguish a
chimp from any given human who might look like one. 
So, we're limited within reason to the term "human" as
its generally accepted, and not putting undue emphasis
on interesting intellectual caveats. "Life" simply
refers to stuff that's alive, meaning "if its not
alive, nobody will make a stink." "Viability," is an
important factor within the general context of finding
a compromise between the "orgasm or birth" extremes.

-SV

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