“SHOW ME YOUR ORIGINAL FACE BEFORE YOU WERE BORN” Rhetoric and Human Embryos

1. “SHOW ME YOUR ORIGINAL FACE BEFORE YOU WERE BORN” Rhetoric and Human Embryos Scott F. Gilbert

2. Perinatal, Birth Weeks 20-24:EEG Day 14: Gastrulation Day 1: Fertilization WHEN DOES HUMAN LIFE BEGIN? Scientific Considerations

3. "The wish felt by many people to pinpoint such a stage probably stems from the belief that a soul, conceived as a preternatural entity, descends upon a formerly soulless living stuff, and suddenly transforms the latter into human estate. I hope that modern theologians can accept the idea that the transformation is not sudden, but gradual." Dobzhansky, T. 1976. Living with the Biological Revolution. In Robert H. Haynes, ed. Man and the Biological Revolution. York University Press. Toronto. Pp. 21 - 45.

4. If the embryo loss that accompanies natural procreation were the moral equivalent of infant death, then pregnancy would have to be regarded as a public health crisis of epidemic proportions: Alleviating natural embryo loss would be a more urgent moral cause than abortion, in vitro Fertilization, and stem cell research combined. -John Opitz (to the President’s Council on Bioethics)

5. More Emotional Notions of When Human Life Begins

6. SOME PROTESTANT VIEWS (All across the board simultaneously)S Lutheran Church in America: “Differences hold promise or peril. Our differences are deep and potentially divisive. However, they are also a gift that can lead us into constructive conversation about our faith and its implications for our life in the world. Presbyterian Church of the United States: “The Christian community must be concerned about and address the circumstances that bring a woman to consider abortion as the best viable option. Poverty, unjust social realities, sexism, racism, and inadequate supportive relationships may render a woman virtually powerless to choose freely.” Southern Baptist Convention: “The Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27, 9:6) and prtectable human life begins at fertilization.”

7. SOME CATHOLIC VIEWS (Different beliefs at different times) Tertullian (197): Destroying embryo at earliest stages still murder. Justinian Code (565): Abortion is homicide only when fetus is “formed” (Followed Aquinas: 40 days/90 days) Gratian (Decretum, 1140): Abortion is homicide only when fetus is “formed. ” Pope Sixtus V (1588): Abortion anytime is homicide. Pope Gregory IX (his successor): Abortion homicide only when fetus is formed. Thomas Fiennus (1620): Soul has to be at conception to organize material of the embryo. Pope Pius IX (1869): Ejection of embryo is anticipated homicide. Pope John Paul II (1987): “rights of a person” begins at conception

8. ISLAMIC VIEWS: 1. Abortion prohibited after ensoulment at 40-120 days. 2. Prior to that, it can be aborted only if father permits. JEWISH VIEWS: Life begins at crowning of the head at birth. a. Exodus 21: 22-23. Financial compensation for fetal deaths b. Abortion not usually permitted except when mother’s life is threatened. (Fetus is then an aggressor) c. Text used to prohibit abortion (Genesis 9:6) is not used against stem cell research since no blood is involved HINDUISM, BUDDHISM: Karmic responsibility begins at conception. Abortion at any point is an act of violence.

9. Free-floating extraterrestrial fetus with its own life-support system

10. A FAMOUS AUTONOMOUS EXTRATERRESTRIAL EMBRYO

12. June 9, 2003: Another siting of an autonomous human fetus!

13. USE of Lennart Nilsson photographs In the website www.standupgirl.com

17. “This remarkable photograph of a tiny preborn baby in his unruptured amniotic sac was taken after surgery for an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy at the University of Minnesota by medical photographer, Robert Wolfe, in 1972. This picture demonstrates the remarkable early development of a preborn baby at only six weeks after conception.”. (www.epigee.org) • "This tiny unborn child was yet alive at this moment, only 6-7 weeks after the first day of last menstrual period, a just removed tubal (ectopic) pregnancy.” (gravityteen.com)

18. CRITERIA FOR BOOK COVER IMAGE ENTIRE EMBRYO--NOT A PORTION THEREOF 2. VISUALLY STUNNING IMAGE 3. ORGANISM CURRENTLY AT FOREFRONT OF INTEREST TO DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGISTS 4. IMAGE PRODUCED BY A NEW TECHNIQUE

19. CRITERIA FOR BOOK COVER IMAGE ENTIRE EMBRYO--NOT A PORTION THEREOF 2. VISUALLY STUNNING IMAGE 3. ORGANISM CURRENTLY AT FOREFRONT OF INTEREST TO DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGISTS 4. IMAGE PRODUCED BY A NEW TECHNIQUE 5. IMAGE MUST SHOW INCOMPLETENESS of DEVELOPMENT: Internal anatomy; <7weeks 6. IMAGE MUST SHOW MATERNAL CONTEXT

20. 44d human embryo “constructed” by magnetic resonance microscopy Context-free embryo Tsiaras, A. and Werth, B. D. 2002. From Conception to Birth. Doubleday, NY.

21. Sacred DNA: DNA as Soul Dorothy Nelkin and Susan Lindee, The DNA Mystique • That which is your essence • That which determines your behaviors • That from which you can be resurrected (à la Jurassic Park)

22. GENETIC MILLENIALISM: 1999/2000 Nature and Newsweek

23. Finding the 'worrier-warrior' gene It determines whether you're fretful or forceful. Each has advantages. By Faye Flam, Inquirer Staff Writer Philadelphia Inquirer. June 2, 2003.

24. DNA as a metaphor for ESSENCE, CORE: Even cars have “DNA”! A Sterling’s remarkable handling is “in its genes.” A BMW Sedan has “a genetic advantage.” A Subaru is a “genetic superstar.” A Toyota “has a great set of genes” “While some luxury sedans just look like their elders, ours have the same DNA” (Infinity) “The new Nissan design DNA is evident”

25. Newsweek, May 23, 2005

26. "Resurrection" : 6' Cast Bronze, St. Patrick's Church, Sarasota, FL.

27. CONVERGENCE of SIGNS: 1. Fetus is autonomous 2. DNA is soul 3. Given: We receive our DNA at fertilization Therefore: We receive our soul and become individuals at fertilization

28. "A PICTURE HELD US CAPTIVE. AND WE COULD NOT GET OUTSIDE IT, FOR IT LAY IN OUR LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE SEEMED TO REPEAT IT TO US INEXORABLY." -Ludwig Wittgenstein Philosophical Investigations, section 115

29. Crump (2000) superimposed on Klimt drawing (above); Reichert, 1873 (bottom left),Blandau, 1971 (bottom right) Gustav Klimt’s depiction of blastocysts in DANAE (1907)

30. Carnegie Embryo 8537A: Seven week gestation embryo in context Courtesy of Chester Reather, Carnegie Institute and Johns Hopkins University Figure 4.26 Developmental Biology, 1st ed., 1985. Figure 11.30 Developmental Biology, 6th ed. 2000.

31. TERMS for DISCUSSING SIMILARITIES SIMILE Rational similarity, not identity. Uses “like” or “as” “The mesodermal cells move like a tractor.” METAPHOR Hidden identity, often emotional “The trophoblast invades the uterus on day 6.” ANALOGY States the similarity between relationships “Crystallin is to the lens as globin is to the erythrocyte.”

32. CHANNEL

33. CHANNEL

34. The essence of metaphor is understanding one kind of experience in terms of another experience.

35. Describe the Relationship of the Blastocyst to the Uterus

36. “Blastocyst docks onto the uterus”

37. “The blastocyst becomes implanted into the uterus.”

38. “The blastocyst invades the uterus.”

39. UNSTATED METAPHOR: ARGUMENT IS WARFARE “Your claims are indefensible.” “He attacked every weak point in my argument.” “I shot down his ideas.” “Her criticisms were right on target.”

40. UNSTATED METAPHOR: ARGUMENT IS A PATH “This is a long argument.” “His argument went nowhere.” “Her argument led us into strange places.” “I can’t follow his argument.”

41. “If the embryo loss that accompanies natural procreation were the moral equivalent of infant death, then pregnancy would have to be regarded as a public health crisis of epidemic proportions. Alleviating natural embryo loss would be a more urgent moral cause than abortion, in vitro fertilization, and stem cell research combined.” Clinical geneticist John Opitz

42. THE SHARED GENEALOGY of SCIENCE and RELIGION A branched chain model wherein science and religion share acommonancestry but are not the same WONDER CURIOSITY AWE REVERENCE QUESTIONING RELIGION SCIENCE