CMW-WB-CH13

The humanness of someone is
present from the moment of
conception.
Little Brother by Anna Ancher (1905).
majority believe that the beginning of a new, unique, self-actualizing
human life occurs at fertilization. 7
Inasmuch as the single-celled zygote is in potentiality a full, unique,
self-actualizing human being, then to kill him or her is the same as killing
any unique self-actualizing human being, which is a violation not only of
Jewish and Christian law, but also natural law and the common law (the
commonly accepted tradition [based on rules and judicial precedents
rather than statutory laws] that has become commonly accepted as if it
were statutory law within the legal systems of Great Britain, its colonies,
and the United States).
As can be seen, personhood (and the inalienable rights belonging
to persons, especially the right to life) must be identified with the presence
of a unique substantially whole human being (whether that human
being is completely developed or partially developed). Discrimination
against some human beings on the basis of development has led not
only to the false justification of abortion, but also to genocide, mass
incarceration, slavery, and many other outrages against unique human
beings throughout the course of history. If we are to put an end to such
massive fundamental injustices, we must, as the Catholic Church teaches,
acknowledge the intrinsic goodness, personhood, and inalienable
rights of every unique human being regardless of their state of development,
education, physical ability, intellectual ability, age, ethnic origin,
or any other accidental characteristic.
© Sophia Institute for Teachers Unit 5, Chapter 13: Abortion
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