Hillwilliam
Posts: 19394
Joined: 8/27/2008 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bounty44 the issue is not one of which term is more "emotive." "child" accurately describes what it is, a biological end product of sex, designed to further the species and to differentiate it from an adult. "parasite" stretches the historical definition of the term by pro abortion people to now include an unborn baby and its used in a derogatory fashion meant to diminish the baby. heres what I posted last time that vile word came up: quote:
Yes and no. In the strictest biological sense babies–whether preborn or not–cannot be parasites because, first, they are of the same species as their parents. Tapeworms or hookworms or leeches can all be parasites as they are not of the same species as the animals they infest. In that literal biological sense, human fetuses are not parasites. Second, no textbook in embryology or fetology categorizes the human fetus as a parasitic organism. Third, parasitic organisms are categorized as such regardless of their stage of development, but it would be an overreach to universally label as “parasites” all humans beings throughout their lifespan. If they start as parasites in the womb, they’d need to be parasites even out of the womb and on to adulthood. Fourth, it is presumed that young members of any given species are liable to be deeply dependent on their parents or community. Fifth, the mammalian mother, in particular, is physically and psychologically built to nurture a gestating child which shares half her DNA. The relation, then, is intrinsic being within the family and, for what it’s worth, “natural.” The human race could not survive without this relation, meanwhile no such hosts in the rest of the animal kingdom need their respective parasites to this degree. Sixth, with the interpersonal dynamic of mother to child, that relationship is more symbiotic than parasitic. Parasites, on the other hand exploit incidental features of their hosts with no interpersonal relation while typically harming the host. Such a host might have warmth and nutrition for a parasite, but it’s a difficult case to parallel that with the mother’s fantastically fine tune environment for the developing child inside her. Seventh, the child-in-utero is not necessarily or normally a mortal threat to the mother, meanwhile the normal or “natural” disposition of parasites means harm and often mortal danger to the host. Some pregnancies incur medical complications putting the mothers health or life at risk, but–unlike parasitic relations–these dangerous pregnancies are not the normal, necessary, or intrinsic relation of child to mother.... The “parasite” affiliation runs the risk of a “loaded word” fallacy, proving nothing in directly logical terms but instead slandering the preborn child with connotations of “weed,” “unwanted,” “harmful,” and “deadly.” To justify killing a human being, something more than “parasite” would need to be established, such as “deadly assailant” or “murderer” or “rapist.” That case can be made if the child represents an distinct medical threat to the mother’s life, such as with tubal pregnancies. The baby is instrumentally threatening the mothers life, and so it would not be a loaded word but an apt description to call that preborn child–instrumentally deadly. That is an unfortunate but real scenario, yet when it occurs, that child’s presence threatens the life of the mother, and might be justifiably aborted on the grounds of self-defense. Those sorts of cases are widely admitted justifications for killing a human being, but apart from tubal pregnancies (and similar cases) the death penalty just doesn’t apply.... The “parasite” affiliation is also a non-sequitur. It “does not follow” logically into a pro-choice position especially since all human beings go through a stage where they are similar to parasites. If parasites should be destroyed, then–following the logic to it’s absurd ends–it seems all human beings should be destroyed. Even if one admits that parasites are also unwanted, and many children in utero are wanted, that does not change the fact that lots of brothers-in-law sleeping on the couch are “unwanted” guests. Why are they allowed to live there? Because it’s one’s family duty, or it’s the charitable thing to do, or he could really use some help right now after his divorce. In short, overriding family responsibilities–at least in that case–contradict the notion that unwanted dependents can rightly be expelled from one’s domain eventuating their death... Lastly, it can be admitted that children, in utero or ex utero, are very dependent human beings, desperately needing the their parents. But just as puppies and kittens need extra love and care, so do baby humans. Their dependence is just cause for loving them tenderly and caring for them selflessly. Their dependence hardly excuses neglecting and killing them, as implied by this pro-choice lingo. https://abortionhistorymuseum.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/are-human-fetuses-parasites/ I thought you claimed to be Libertarian at one time. What happened?
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Kinkier than a cheap garden hose. Whoever said "Religion is the opiate of the masses" never heard Right Wing talk radio. Don't blame me, I voted for Gary Johnson.
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