When Is a Person a Person?

I was thinking the other day about this topic.  When is a person a person?

• Does it happen at conception?
• Does it happen during pregnancy?
• Does it happen when a baby is born?
• Does it happen when we turn 2 years old?

Is a person a person at. . .

Viability- the point at which the fetus is able to live on its own outside the womb.

This occurs around 24-26 weeks of gestation.  But this can change as technology gets better.  So this is not a good standard to determine personhood.

Brain development- the point at which the brain of the fetus begins to function.  This occurs around 45 days into the pregnancy.  We define death as the cessation of all brain activity.  However, this has a problem.  When adult is brain dead, we can do nothing to fix it.  But and unborn baby will develop brain function if given the time.  So this is not a good standard to determine personhood.

Implantation- the point the embryo establishes its presence in the womb by the “signals” or the hormones it produces.  However, personhood is not determined by another’s awareness of its existence, whether it is physical awareness, or chemical awareness.  Just because up to 50 percent of conceived embryos spontaneously miscarry, it does not follow that personhood comes at implantation, since the essential nature of the fetus is not dependent on the number of embryos that do or do not survive to implant

Sentience- the point at which the fetus is capable of experiencing sensations, particularly pain.  However, this is a bad indicator of personhood.  Someone could be in a coma and feel no pain, but this would still make them a person.

Quickening- the point at with the mother feels the fetus move inside her womb.  However, this is a bad indicator of personhood because we don't determine the status of an individual simply because they move.

When do I think a person is a person? At the moment of conception. Why?

1. An adult human being is the end result of the continuous growth of the organism from conception.
2. From conception to adulthood, this development has no break that is relevant to the essential nature of the fetus.
3. Therefore, one is a human person from the point of conception onward.

The Bible supports this as well:

One particular verse comes to mind that is often overlooked.  Jesus was a person in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:39-56).  Mary visits Elizabeth only a few day after she has found out that she is pregnant with Jesus (fetus was probably only 3 weeks old).  Upon arrival at Elizabeth’s home, Mary is immediately recognized as “the mother of my Lord”(v. 43).  How could she be the mother of our savior Jesus if Jesus was not a person in the womb?

Also, in Jeremiah 1:5 we read,

⁵ "Before I formed you in the womb I knew ^[a] you,
       before you were born I set you apart;
       I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

For God to set Jeremiah apart before he was born, Jeremiah must have been a person.

Last, Psalm 139:13-16 say,

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
       you knit me together in my mother's womb.

 ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well.
 ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
       when I was made in the secret place.
       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
 ¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
       All the days ordained for me
       were written in your book
       before one of them came to be.

The Conclusion of the Matter:
In conclusion, I believe we are a person at the moment of conception.  This should give us pause we we talk about the topics of abortion and embryonic cell research.  If it is true that we are a person at the moment of conception, then abortion is wrong and embryonic cell research could be considered murder.  This is a tough topic, but one that needs to be discussed.  I hope you will think about this.  God bless.