Nathan Sweem: Objectivity and abortion

When we look at the issue of abortion, I ask everyone to be objective.

That means, try not to let emotions or religious dogma influence our judgment.

Now, start with the question: What is a fetus? Not to be confused with a fertilized egg, zygote, or embryo, a fetus is defined to be such around 9 weeks of age in the womb. To describe it as merely tissue, although true, is not precise enough. If we were to accept such a broad definition, then I would be nothing more than tissue myself writing this letter. A fetus has different organs (heart, brain, skin, etc.), each of which is composed of specialized tissue.

However, denoting it a person may go too far, considering the potential subjectivity of the term. We can agree on calling it an organism.

Next, is it alive? It grows, metabolizes nutrients, and responds to stimuli; it undeniably displays the characteristics of a living organism. Now, what kind of organism is it? A human fetus is a fetus of the human species. In other words: it is a homo sapiens.

Let's all remember to take these observations into account when making decisions about abortion.

NATHAN SWEEM

Merced