wh@houxz.UUCP (W.HEINMILLER) (02/28/84)
[] Advances in science and technology can have a tremendous impact on our morals and the way we define social roles. The abortion debate is one arena in which the implications of advances in medicine have not fully been explored. While the pro-life groups argue that it is obvious that human life begins at conception, that possible distinction is close to be coming arbitrary as the previous distinction that human life began at birth. Mechanical or chemical techniques can induce an ova to begin development without fertilization for a number of species. (I understand mechanical techniques can successfully be used with turkeys.) There would appear to be no theoretical reason why such techniques could not be developed for humans. If this is a real possibility, then the potential for human life begins before conception! Applying the pro- life argument that an organism must be considered "human" as soon as it has the potential to develop into a human to this situation would have a tremendous impact on women as well as the rest of us. 1. If mechanical/chemical substitutes for fertilization are possible, are we morally remiss for not developing the techniques that could allow millions of organisms to fulfill their human potential? In this case, would we consider an act of ommision to be a crime or a sin? 2. How about menstruation? Could it be considered murder since we would be denying the lost ovum the opportunity to fulfill its human potential? Would we need laws requiring women to become pregnant at puberty and remain pregnant until death or menopause? Wouldn't any other course interefere with the rights of the ova to enjoy life? 3. Maybe we shouldn't trust pregnancy to the fragile human body. A substitute uterus for the developing embryo is probably possible. Even if a woman were to constantly be pregnant, and have multiple births, she probably could not bring all her ova to term, either because of total number or because of accidents/sickness/etc. Wouldn't we be morally required to remove all a woman's ova and develop them in artificial wombs where all the ova could be guaranteed the opportunity to develop their human potential in a safe, protected environment? In this case, maybe natural pregnancy would be considered immoral, because it exposes the developing fetus to more risk than necessary. How about laws requiring the removal of a woman's ova and banning natural pregnancies? 4. WHAT WOULD WE DO WITH ALL THE PEOPLE!? I guess the moral is that you should not only consider "today", but "tomorrow" when you plan policies. Advances in science and medicine can make what sounds like a reasonable position today, a disaster tomorrow. Not only on the abortion issue, but other issues as well we must look for solutions that are not just short range, but long range as well. I'd enjoy seeing discusions about how other advances in technology might impact human "rights" and social roles. The auto and birth control pill are claimed to have had a tremendous impact on social roles and the way men and women relate. What do you think will be the technology that will most impact social roles for the next 20 years? What will it change? Why? Wayne Heinmiller Bell Communications Research houxz!wh Freehold, NJ