24 weeks

[Space cat]

Are new born babies capable of cogent thought, their brains wont be fully developed for years to come, so why are we not not allowed to kill them.

and

Some people older than 20yrs (or 30yrs or 40yrs) are not capable of cogent thought.... so can we kill them?

but

I think therefore I am!

Note that the word "cogent" does not appear. Of course if he hadn't been capable of cogent thought he wouldn't have been able to work this out - and if he'd watched The Matrix he might have failed anyway - but that's not the point. The concept is valid wherever it comes from: If a baby, whether born or not, has enough brain to be aware of its own existence you can't kill it. That just leaves the question of how much brain is enough and, in the absence of any hard evidence, it's best to err on the side of caution.

 

[JohnD]

If a baby, whether born or not, has enough brain to be aware of its own existence you can't kill it. That just leaves the question of how much brain is enough and, in the absence of any hard evidence, it's best to err on the side of caution.

What about killing a sheep?

 

[megawatt]

Or a cow or a pig or goat ... And I eat all the previous ... I see the parallel though John.

Fortunately I'm not religious though either and so don't have such a problem with some of this that many Catholics (for example) would.

The mother also has rights IMO and must have the right to choose whether to continue with an unwanted pregnancy (for whatever reason it became unwanted) or not.

In terms of the upper time limit, I would agree with many that 24 weeks is too long and that the decision should be made earlier ... Other than in exceptional circumstances of course.

MW

 

[billyo]

everybody's rights ends or starts somewere, so 12 weeks is long enough in most case's for mothers rigths to end, and baby's to begin

 

[Shytalkz]

But what's the point, if the kid's not wanted, or the parent/s are in no position to provide for it?

 

[billyo]

all those who fail I,V.F, will want the baby ,someone will always want the baby, maybe not the mother but give it a chance eleswere to live you never know in years to come it might grow up to save the world

 

[joe-90]

But will more than likely grow up a thick chav like its parents.

 

[tim west]

Apart from rape induced conception all abortions should have a mandatory sterilisation with it, after all we are talking of someone having a moments fun and then ending a potential life on a whim.

 

[billyo]

joe you are awful do chav,s adopt, but better that than dead