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The 16-Day Journey: Evolution of Human Life & Consciousness

Discover the stages of human development from single-cell zygote to birth and self-consciousness, exploring ethical thresholds and the essence of personhood. Dive deep into significant milestones like gastrulation and neurulation, pondering the substance underlying the concept of personhood and when it truly begins to exist.

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The 16-Day Journey: Evolution of Human Life & Consciousness

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  1. 16 Days

  2. The Origin of Human Life

  3. first there are two: t1

  4. t2

  5. but somewhere along the way there is one t3

  6. t4

  7. t5

  8. t6

  9. t7

  10. t8

  11. a. single-cell zygote (day 0) • b: multi-cell zygote (days 0-3) • c. morula (day 3) • d. early blastocyst (day 4) • e. implantation (days 6-13) • f. gastrulation (days 14-16) • g. neurulation (from day 16) • h. formation of the brain stem (days 40-43) • i. end of first trimester (day 98) • j. viability (around day 130) • k. sentience (around day 140) • l. quickening (around day 150) • m. birth (day 266) • n. the development of self-consciousness (some time after birth)

  12. Alternative thresholds for substantial change • single-cell zygote • ‘human life deserves protection’ • vs. ‘human beings deserve protection’

  13. a. single-cell zygote (day 0) • b: multi-cell zygote (days 0-3) • c. morula (day 3) • d. early blastocyst (day 4) • e. implantation (days 6-13) • f. gastrulation (days 14-16) • g. neurulation (from day 16) • h. formation of the brain stem (days 40-43) • i. end of first trimester (day 98) • j. viability (around day 130) • k. sentience (around day 140) • l. quickening (around day 150) • m. birth (day 266) • n. the development of self-consciousness (some time after birth)

  14. The thesis • ‘human being’, ‘human individual’, ‘human organism’ are all synonyms • a substantial change occurs at the latest 16 days after fertilization • and as a result of this substantial change a human being comes into existence

  15. Gastrulation eatworms.swmed.edu/~leon/med_neuro/neurogenesis.ppt

  16. early mammalian embryos • are not featureless bundles of cells – since they contain already the programming for gastrulation

  17. But then Daniel doesn’t want to save life after all: • … isn't it implausible to want to protect human life? • Even a cut-off finger would be deserving of protection. … • Early fosters are morally nearly on a par with cut-off fingers. … • … blah blah blah

  18. Substantial changes must be instantaneous • Compare: • two drops of water flow together and become one • an ameoba splits and becomes two

  19. The process of becoming a person • is not instantaneous • whatever comes into existence when a person comes into existence is not a substance

  20. Rather • it is something like a new quality or a new capacity • ‘person’, like ‘student’ is a phase sortal • but then the question remains: what is the substance which underlies this quality or capacity? • and when does it begin to exist?

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