

Zygote is first stage of human life

7:45 PM, Sep. 25, 2012  |  Comments
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The Coloradoan published a Soapbox (Sept. 9) that advocated using reason rather than theology to identify when human life begins. Yet the author's use of reason and science lacked basic understanding of biology.

He infers that to call a fertilized egg (zygote) a human being would lead logically to calling a sperm cell or unfertilized egg a human being. In fact, based on basic modern biology (not theory or just theology), there is a huge distinction between a gamete (sperm or ovum) and a zygote. A fertilized egg is the first stage of life of a human being (perhaps two human beings if she/he splits into identical twins).

She/he is no longer part of the mother's body, because she/he is genetically distinct. She/he is not a pre-human, but a human being who will develop more fully over time (just as a toddler or adolescent will develop more fully over time). So based on the reason of science (Genetics 101 and Taxonomy 101), this is a human being and remains so through all life stages, from zygote to fetus to infant, all the way to senior citizen.

Therefore, to willfully destroy this being at any stage, from zygote to centenarian, is to willfully kill a human being. Emotion, or propaganda, or difficult circumstances, might tempt us to think otherwise, but that would ignore the truth.

William Kendall,

Fort Collins