In a July 2 letter, Zoe Gaston identifies precisely the crux of the abortion problem: defining when a human fetus becomes a person and thereby acquires moral standing and legal rights. We must decide how much we value a human being at various stages of fetal development. Yes, a human fetus is a living human being, possessing a human genome and a genetic makeup distinct from that of the mother.

My own view is that the fetus is, objectively, of insufficient value to be of concern to the state until the possibility of consciousness arises in the developing brain, at about week 24. Prior to that, there can be no self-awareness, no ability to reason, no preferences or desires, no guilt or innocence, no ability to experience pleasure or pain. Until then, a pregnant woman should be free to decide how much value her fetus has for her, not for society in general – and certainly not for male lawmakers.

It may seem unfeeling to treat the human fetus so unsentimentally, but it must be done to defend the pro-choice position. No one denies that women should have access to reproductive health care. No one would withhold a freedom if it isn’t necessary, in an ordered society, to do so. These matters are not controversial. The question on the minds of those who are conflicted about abortion is the moral one. To persuade the undecided, we who are pro-choice must focus on the fundamental issue.

Michael Bacon
Westbrook

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