Here is a thought experiment:
1.Nazis say: Jews must be killed
2.Onlookers say: Why?
3.Nazis reply: Because they are bad
4.Onlookers say: Bad? How?
5. Nazis say: Their forefathers killed Christ, and therefore we can not have their tainted blood polluting our Aryan strain.
Thought experiment continued
1. A young woman who has missed her period says: I must terminate this pregnancy
2. Christopher Hodgkin says: Why?
3. Woman replies: I have children already I can't adequately take care of; or, I was raped; or, it is the result of incest; or, I must escape this hideous marriage, and I can't, with a baby; or, I am dependent on my parents, who will kick me out and not let me go to college if they learn that I am pregnant; or I don't want a child, no, no,no, I don't want to be pregnant and give birth, no no no, I don't want it, I do not want this embryo to grow into a baby.
4. Christopher Hodgkin says: None of the above matter to me. They are outweighed by MY belief that the embryo in your uterus should be treated as though it were a human being. Certainly it will become one, and your responsibility, not mine, I might add, if I can force you to keep it in your uterus for several more months. In fact, I am already referring to what is in your uterus as "fully human," so that it might sound to an inattentive listener as though I were saying "a fully-human being."
5. Woman says: I don't share your belief. Would you tell me the origin of it? Is it just a feeling you have? Is it, perchance, the construction you place on injunctions contained in revealed religion? Please be as specific as possible. You seem to be equating blueprints for human beings with human beings. You seem to be advocating that everyone adopt, toward non-conscious, non-sentient embryos, genetic blueprints, the same attitudes that they have toward human beings... Do you always equate potentials with eventuated actualities?... Using this mystical equation of yours, do you propose to force the arm of Government into my uterus? To force me to incubate these cells against my will, until that potential becomes reality, Mr. Hodgkin? |
