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Fission, fusion, and the simple view
1Department of Philosophy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.
Christian Bioethics
|December 13, 2006
Summary
This essay presents three Simple Views on human beings, defining the human embryo as a single organism from conception. It argues that twinning creates new embryos, establishing that individuals are essentially human organisms.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Human Embryogenesis
Background:
- The ontological status of the human embryo is a complex philosophical and scientific question.
- Understanding human embryogenesis requires clear definitions of organismal identity and continuity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To defend three "Simple Views" regarding human beings and their development.
- To offer an alternative framework for understanding human embryogenesis without relying on complex theories like co-location.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical argumentation and conceptual analysis.
- Examination of key developmental events, specifically twinning in human embryos.
- Definition of an organism based on unity and continuity.
Main Results:
- The human embryo is a single unitary organism from the one-cell stage.
- Embryonic twinning results in the cessation of the original embryo and the emergence of two new ones.
- Human individuals are fundamentally human organisms.
Conclusions:
- These Simple Views provide a coherent account of human embryogenesis.
- Understanding human identity does not necessitate recourse to obscure or complex metaphysical claims.
- The proposed framework simplifies the philosophical debate surrounding human development and identity.
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