Abstract
The beginning of human life is seen differently by different individuals, groups, cultures, and religions. Embryonic and fetal life are a continuum, within which are time sequences and points—birth of a newborn, viability, neuromaturation, implantation, and conception—that may be declared as the beginning of human life. For each of these there are ethical and legal implications and considerations. Abortion laws reflect the interests of a given society at a given time. Although we have witnessed a change in the United States from virtual denial of the right to abortion to acceptance for certain reasons, abortion laws remain ambiguous. With the recent introduction of the antiprogesterones, it is conceivable that we will soon witness yet another procreation revolution with consequent increased controversy. Fundamental to productive debate and reconciliation between minority and majority groups is an understanding of the ill-defined concept of “the beginning of human life”.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Callahan D: The beginning of human life: philosophical considerations.In What Is a Person?, MF Goodman (ed). Clifton, NJ, Humana Press, 1988, p 35
President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research: Defining death: a report on the medical, legal, and ethical issues in the determination of death. Washington DC, Government Printing Office, 1981. When the definition of death was reevaluated, the concept of brain death came to replace the “breathing” definition of death. In Japan, where the brain-death definition has not been implemented, there is also no organ donation. Death in Japan is considered to be a social or cultural event rather than an individual death. The difference in attitudes toward death may explain why abortion is available and acceptable in Japan. Beller FK, Zlatnik GP: The beginning of human life: medical observations and ethical reflections. Clin Obstet Gynecol 1992;35:720–728
It is likely that early Jews adopted this view, which may also be reflected in the more liberal view of some modern Jews despite the Orthodox condemnation of abortion. See Connery JR Jr.: The ancients and medievals on abortion.In Abortion and Constitution, DJ Horan, ER Grant, PC Cunningham (eds). Washington DC, Georgetown University Press, 1987, p 124
Becker LC: Human being: The boundaries of the concept.In What Is a Person?, MF Goodman (ed). Clifton NJ, Humana Press, 1988, p 10
Roe v Wade 1973; 410 US 113. Reiter RC, Johnson SR, Beller FK: Abortion: is there a rational concept? Obstet Gynecol 1991;78:464–467. It must be stressed in this context that any time designations in pregnancy without reference to the first day of the last menstrual period (pm) or conception (pc) are misleading, since 2 weeks more or lessin utero may decide the prognosis for a given fetus. More than half the abortion laws in the United States do not make this distinction (Beller FK, De Prosse CA: The confusion of trimester and viability and the consequences for the abortion laws in the USA. J Repro Med 1992;37:537–540) nor, notably, do many studies in the pediatrics literature.
Webster v Reproductive Health Services; 109 S Ct 3040
Reiter RC, Johnson SR, Beller FK: Abortion: is there a rational concept? Obstet Gynecol 1991;78:464–467
One review revealed that subspecialty obstetricians do not consider performing a cesarean section before 22 weeks pc or 500 g because of the low survival rate and the considerable risk of brain damage. Amon E, Shyken JM, Sibai M: How small is too small and how early is too early? A survey of American obstetricians specializing in high risk pregnancies. Am J Perinat 1992;9:17–21
Beller FK, De Prosse CA: The confusion of trimester and viability and the consequences for the abortion laws in the USA. J Repr Med 1992;37:537–540
Jones DG: Brain birth and personal identity. Med J Ethics 1989;15:173–178
Zimmer F: Probleme am Anfang des Lebens. Dtsch Apotheker Ztg 1968;43:1733
Brody B: The morality of abortion.In Contemporary Issues in Bioethics, TL Beauchamp, L Walters (eds). Belmont, CA, Wadsworth, 1982, pp 240–250; Goldenring J: The brain life theory: towards a consistent biological definition of humanness. J Med Ethics 1985;11:198–204
Beller FK, Reeve J: Brain life and brain death: the anencephalic as an explanatory example. J Med Philos 1989;14:5–20.
Brody B: Abortion and the Sanctity of Human Life: A Philosophical View. Cambridge, MIT Press, 1975, p 109
Sass HM: the moral significance of brain-life criteria.In The Beginning of Human Life, FK Beller, RF Weir RF (eds). Dordrecht, Kluwer, 1994, pp 57–70 Truog ES, Fletcher JC: Brain death and the anencephalic new born. Bioethics 1990;4:199–215
McCormick KA: Who or what is the preembryo? Kennedy Instit Ethics J 1991;1:24–28. Mahoney SJ: Bioethics and Belief. London, Sheed and Ward, 1984, p 80. Ford NM: When Did I Begin? Conception of the Human Individual in History, Philosophy and Science. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1986
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Instruction on Respect for Human Life and Its Origins and the Dignity of Procreation. Vatican
Rahner K: Encyclopedia of Theology: The Concise Sacramentum Mundi. New York, Seaburg, 1984, p 134
Grobstein C: Science and the Newborn. New York, Basic Books, 1988, p 14
Sass HM: Brain life and brain death: a proposal for normative agreement. J Med Philos 1989;14:45–59
Veatch RM: The beginning of full moral standing.In The Beginning of Human life, FK Beller, RF Weir (eds). Dordrecht, Kluwer, 1994, p 19
Knutson AL: When does a human life begin? Viewpoints of public health professionals. Am J Publ Health 1967;57:2167
Weir RF, Bale JF Jr: Selective nontreatment of neurologically impaired neonates. Neuro Clin 1989;7:807–822
Becker LC: Human being: the boundaries of the concept.In What Is a Person?, MF Goodman (ed). Clifton, NJ, Humana Press, 1988, p 63
Grobstein C: Science and the Newborn. New York NY, Basic Books, 1988, p 14
Goodman MF (ed): What Is a Person? Clifton, NJ, Humana Press, 1988, p 3
Engelhardt HT: Medicine and the concept of a person.In What Is a Person?, MF Goodman (ed). Clifton, NJ, Humana Press, 1988, p 175
Young EW: Alpha & Omega. Ethics at the Frontiers of Life and Death. Reading, MA, Addison Wesley, 1989, p 75
Baulieu EM: Contragestion and the other clinical applications of RU-486, an antiprogesterone at the recepter. Science 1989;245:1351. Cook R: Antiprogestin drugs: medical and legal issues. Fam Plann Perspect 1989;21;267–272
Beller FK, Kyank H: Erkrankungen wÄhrend der Schwangerschaft. 5th ed. Leipzig, Thieme, 1990, p 615
Chervenak FA, McFarley MA, Walters L: When is termination of pregnancy during the third trimester morally justifiable? New Engl J Med 1984;310:501–504
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Unaffiliated
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Beller, F.K., Zlatnik, G.P. The beginning of human life. J Assist Reprod Genet 12, 477–483 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02212909
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02212909