Agreed. Life doesn't begin at conception, but it also doesn't begin at birth. Life happens somewhere in between. I have never heard a convincing argument for any particular point in a pregnancy where life begins. You can pick and choose developmental milestones to fit any preconceived timeline. The problem really is that we are mapping a binary outcome (legal or illegal) to an analog process (fetal development). Given the lack of other evidence, I would simply use a 50%+1 approach. Up until the halfway point in a pregnancy, abortion is largely unregulated. After that point it should be heavily regulated and only accessible in edge cases (life of mother in danger).
binary outcome (legal or illegal) to an analog process
Exactly this! Very reasonable. You should really know as soon as possible, or ahead of time really if you're going to be having a baby or not. A month or two tops. (edit: I just checked the current laws go up to about 20 weeks which is pre-viability but maybe a little long to me)
I don't think this is a conservative argument, it's a religious one. Which is fine, but I don't find this one very practical. Do you want more suffering? Unwanted babies that can't be afforded? Probably live a childhood of suffering and poverty, maybe crime, creating a burden on society. I'm sure there are success stories but they will be the exception not the norm.
I think there is a middle gorund between every sperm is sacred and chainsawing full term babies, but that's just Muloch talking.
Agreed. Life doesn't begin at conception, but it also doesn't begin at birth. Life happens somewhere in between. I have never heard a convincing argument for any particular point in a pregnancy where life begins. You can pick and choose developmental milestones to fit any preconceived timeline. The problem really is that we are mapping a binary outcome (legal or illegal) to an analog process (fetal development). Given the lack of other evidence, I would simply use a 50%+1 approach. Up until the halfway point in a pregnancy, abortion is largely unregulated. After that point it should be heavily regulated and only accessible in edge cases (life of mother in danger).
Exactly this! Very reasonable. You should really know as soon as possible, or ahead of time really if you're going to be having a baby or not. A month or two tops. (edit: I just checked the current laws go up to about 20 weeks which is pre-viability but maybe a little long to me)
I don't think this is a conservative argument, it's a religious one. Which is fine, but I don't find this one very practical. Do you want more suffering? Unwanted babies that can't be afforded? Probably live a childhood of suffering and poverty, maybe crime, creating a burden on society. I'm sure there are success stories but they will be the exception not the norm.