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Regarding zygotes as persons: implications for public policy.

L Lewis Wall¹, Douglas Brown

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA. walll@wustl.edu

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine

|December 6, 2006

Summary

Granting zygotes full moral status, based on genetic potential, is philosophically flawed and biologically unrealistic. Such a policy would necessitate drastic, unworkable societal and healthcare system overhauls.

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Area of Science:

Bioethics
Philosophy of Science
Reproductive Biology

Background:

Debate on zygote personhood often stems from opposition to elective abortion.
Arguments for zygote personhood frequently cite genetic potential for human development.

Purpose of the Study:

To critically examine the philosophical and biological basis for granting the zygote full moral status.
To analyze the public policy implications of recognizing the zygote as a person.

Main Methods:

Philosophical analysis of personhood criteria (e.g., Locke, Kant).
Biological assessment of human reproductive efficiency and zygote development.
Exploration of potential public policy and societal consequences.

Main Results:

The zygote lacks traditional philosophical criteria for personhood.
Human reproduction is inherently inefficient and wasteful, challenging potentiality arguments.
Granting zygotes full moral status would necessitate radical restructuring of social institutions, particularly healthcare.

Conclusions:

The argument for zygote personhood based on genetic potential is a misapplication of genetics.
The profound societal and institutional changes required render this position a reductio ad absurdum, highlighting its impracticality.