Zoe Gaston of South Portland makes the argument that life begins at conception (“Letter to the editor: There’s no debate over when life begins,” July 3). She writes: “… life starts at the moment of conception and … the zygote is a genetically unique, whole human being.”
This is not entirely correct. Monozygotic twinning is the result of a single fertilized egg splitting into two. About two-thirds of the time this occurs four to eight days following conception.
Gaston also discusses “personhood” or “ensoulment.” Here, likewise, she argues “… it is highly probable personhood is established at the point of fertilization.”
However, another position is argued for by Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor. He writes: “A person is a being who has a sense of self, has a notion of the future and the past, can hold values, make choices; in short, can adopt life-plans.”
A person in the sense held by Zoe Gaston does not fear for his or her own death, and so looses nothing if death occurs. On the other hand, a person in the sense of Charles Taylor (one who has a sense of self and a notion of the future) does in fact fear for his or her own death, and so loses everything in the case of death.
For anyone taking Taylor’s position, then, the question with respect to abortion becomes: When, approximately, does one become a person?
William Vaughan Jr.
Chebeague Island
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