“SHOW ME YOUR ORIGINAL FACE BEFORE YOU WERE BORN” Rhetoric and Human Embryos Scott F. Gilbert.

“SHOW ME YOUR ORIGINALFACE BEFORE YOU WERE

BORN”

Rhetoric and Human Embryos

Scott F. Gilbert

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WHEN DOES HUMAN LIFE BEGIN?Scientific Considerations

Day 1:Fertilization

Day 14: Gastrulation

Weeks 20-24:EEG

Perinatal, Birth

"The wish felt by many people to pinpoint such a stage probably stems from the belief that a soul, conceived as a preternatural entity, descends upon a formerly soulless living stuff, and suddenly transforms the latter into human estate. I hope that modern theologians can accept the idea that the transformation is not sudden, but gradual."

Dobzhansky, T. 1976. Living with the Biological Revolution. In Robert H. Haynes, ed. Man and the Biological Revolution. York University Press. Toronto. Pp. 21 - 45.

If the embryo loss that accompanies natural procreation were the moral equivalent of infant death, then pregnancy would have to beregarded as a public health crisis of epidemic proportions: Alleviating natural embryo loss would be a more urgent moral cause than abortion, in vitroFertilization, and stem cell research combined.

-John Opitz (to the President’s Council on Bioethics)

More Emotional Notions of When Human Life Begins

SOME PROTESTANT VIEWS(All across the board simultaneously)S

“Differences hold promise or peril. Our differences are deep and potentiallydivisive. However, they are also a gift that can lead us into constructive

conversation about our faith and its implications for our life in the world.

“The Christian community must be concerned about and address thecircumstances that bring a woman to consider abortion as the best viableoption. Poverty, unjust social realities, sexism, racism, and inadequatesupportive relationships may render a woman virtually powerless to choosefreely.”

“The Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27, 9:6) and prtectable human life begins at fertilization.”

Lutheran Church in America:

Presbyterian Church of the United States:

Southern Baptist Convention:

SOME CATHOLIC VIEWS (Different beliefs at different times)

Tertullian (197): Destroying embryo at earliest stages still murder.

Justinian Code (565): Abortion is homicide only when fetus is “formed”

(Followed Aquinas: 40 days/90 days)

Gratian (Decretum, 1140): Abortion is homicide only when fetus is “formed. ”

Pope Sixtus V (1588): Abortion anytime is homicide.

Pope Gregory IX (his successor): Abortion homicide only when fetus is formed.

Thomas Fiennus (1620): Soul has to be at conception to organize material of the

embryo.

Pope Pius IX (1869): Ejection of embryo is anticipated homicide.

Pope John Paul II (1987): “rights of a person” begins at conception

ISLAMIC VIEWS: 1. Abortion prohibited after ensoulment at 40-120 days.2. Prior to that, it can be aborted only if father permits.

JEWISH VIEWS:Life begins at crowning of the head at birth.

a. Exodus 21: 22-23. Financial compensation for fetal deathsb. Abortion not usually permitted except when mother’s life

is threatened. (Fetus is then an aggressor)c. Text used to prohibit abortion (Genesis 9:6) is not used against

stem cell research since no blood is involved

HINDUISM, BUDDHISM:Karmic responsibility begins at conception.Abortion at any point is an act of violence.

Free-floating extraterrestrial fetus with its own life-support system

A FAMOUS AUTONOMOUS EXTRATERRESTRIAL EMBRYO

June 9, 2003: Another siting of an autonomous human fetus!

USE of Lennart Nilsson photographsIn the website www.standupgirl.com

"This tiny unborn child was yet alive at this moment, only 6-7 weeks after the first day of last menstrual period, a just removed tubal (ectopic) pregnancy.” (gravityteen.com)

“This remarkable photograph of a tiny preborn baby in his unruptured amniotic sac was taken after surgery for an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy at the University of Minnesota by medical photographer, Robert Wolfe, in 1972. This picture demonstrates the remarkable early development of a preborn baby at only six weeks after conception.”. (www.epigee.org)

CRITERIA FOR BOOK COVER IMAGE

1. ENTIRE EMBRYO--NOT A PORTION THEREOF

2. VISUALLY STUNNING IMAGE

3. ORGANISM CURRENTLY AT FOREFRONT OFINTEREST TO DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGISTS

4. IMAGE PRODUCED BY A NEW TECHNIQUE

CRITERIA FOR BOOK COVER IMAGE

1. ENTIRE EMBRYO--NOT A PORTION THEREOF

2. VISUALLY STUNNING IMAGE

3. ORGANISM CURRENTLY AT FOREFRONT OFINTEREST TO DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGISTS

4. IMAGE PRODUCED BY A NEW TECHNIQUE

5. IMAGE MUST SHOW INCOMPLETENESS of DEVELOPMENT: Internal anatomy; <7weeks6. IMAGE MUST SHOW MATERNAL CONTEXT

44d human embryo “constructed” by magnetic resonance microscopy

Tsiaras, A. and Werth, B. D. 2002. From Conception to Birth. Doubleday, NY.

Context-free embryo

Sacred DNA: DNA as Soul

Dorothy Nelkin and Susan Lindee, The DNA Mystique1. That which is your essence2. That which determines your behaviors3. That from which you can be resurrected

(à la Jurassic Park)

GENETIC MILLENIALISM: 1999/2000

Nature and Newsweek

Finding the 'worrier-warrior' geneIt determines whether you're fretful or forceful. Each has advantages. By Faye Flam, Inquirer Staff WriterPhiladelphia Inquirer. June 2, 2003.





DNA as a metaphor for ESSENCE, CORE: Even cars have “DNA”!

A Sterling’s remarkable handling is “in its genes.”

A BMW Sedan has “a genetic advantage.”

A Subaru is a “genetic superstar.”

A Toyota “has a great set of genes”

“While some luxury sedans just look like their elders, ours have the same DNA” (Infinity)

“The new Nissan design DNA is evident”

Newsweek, May 23, 2005

"Resurrection" : 6' Cast Bronze, St. Patrick's Church, Sarasota, FL.

CONVERGENCE of SIGNS:

1. Fetus is autonomous2. DNA is soul3. Given: We receive our DNA at

fertilization

Therefore: We receive our soul and become individuals at fertilization

"A PICTURE HELD US CAPTIVE. AND WE COULD NOT GET OUTSIDE IT, FOR IT LAY IN OUR LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE SEEMED TO REPEAT IT TO US INEXORABLY."

-Ludwig WittgensteinPhilosophical Investigations,

section 115

Gustav Klimt’sdepiction of blastocysts in DANAE (1907)

Crump (2000) superimposed onKlimt drawing (above); Reichert, 1873(bottom left),Blandau, 1971 (bottomright)

Figure 11.30 Developmental Biology, 6th ed. 2000.

Carnegie Embryo 8537A: Seven week gestation embryo in context

Figure 4.26 Developmental Biology, 1st ed., 1985.

Courtesy of Chester Reather, Carnegie Institute and Johns Hopkins University

SIMILESIMILE

METAPHORMETAPHOR

ANALOGYANALOGY

TERMS for DISCUSSING SIMILARITIES

Rational similarity, not identity. Uses “like” or “as”

“The mesodermal cells move like a tractor.”

Hidden identity, often emotional

“The trophoblast invades the uterus on day 6.”

States the similarity between relationships

“Crystallin is to the lens as globin is to the erythrocyte.”



CHANNEL

The essence of metaphor is understanding one kind of experience in terms of another experience.











Describe the Relationship of theBlastocyst to the Uterus



“Blastocyst docks onto the uterus”



“The blastocyst becomes implanted into the uterus.”



“The blastocyst invades the uterus.”

UNSTATED METAPHOR: ARGUMENT IS WARFARE

“Your claims are indefensible.”

“He attacked every weak point in my argument.”

“I shot down his ideas.”

“Her criticisms were right on target.”



“This is a long argument.”“His argument went nowhere.”“Her argument led us into strange places.”“I can’t follow his argument.”

UNSTATED METAPHOR: ARGUMENT IS A PATH

“If the embryo loss that accompanies natural procreation were the moral equivalent of infant death, then pregnancy would have to be regarded as a public health crisis of epidemic proportions. Alleviating natural embryo losswould be a more urgent moral cause than abortion, in vitro fertilization, and stem cell research combined.”

Clinical geneticist John Opitz

THE SHARED GENEALOGY of SCIENCE and RELIGION

A branched chain model wherein

WONDER

AWE CURIOSITY

REVERENCE QUESTIONING

RELIGION SCIENCE

science and religion share a common

ancestry but are not the same

“SHOW ME YOUR ORIGINAL FACE BEFORE YOU WERE BORN” Rhetoric and Human Embryos Scott F. Gilbert.

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Transcript of “SHOW ME YOUR ORIGINAL FACE BEFORE YOU WERE BORN” Rhetoric and Human Embryos Scott F. Gilbert.