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Abortion, and the debate surrounding it's implementation, constitute what may be the most divisive issue in contemporary America. We have pro-life advocates and pro-choice advocates, yet we do not have an honest assessment of the negatives, or the "anti" side of the debate. After the 2004 presidential election, no matter what side you were on, it has become patently obvious that this one issue cannot be allowed to dominate the election of any representative. For, what is the difference if a child is aborted or born into chaos and war? No substantive one. Some progress on the debate must be made.

The moral debate, the most troublesome, seems to hinge upon when life begins. Does life begin at conception? At birth? In a certain trimester? Is there any objective way to determine exactly when a human being's "humanness" obtains? Some will cite scripture as absolute truth when it comes to this matter, yet scripture's infallibility is predicated upon the same epistemology that accepts basic beliefs and foundational beliefs that remain completely unverifiable. This line of argument or assertion is fine if you share the same foundational beliefs that make up your world view. But what if you don't? Then this line of reasoning falls short, appealing to an unqualified authority.

Those not concerned with scripture will argue that the group of cells is never infused with a soul, since an anthropomorphic soul is an intangible fantasy. They will argue that what it is to be human, the mind, the classical "soul," cannot rightly be said to exist in a blastocyst, as the grey matter brain isn't there. There are no synapsis, no neurons, not even a measly pineal gland in a wink and nod to Descartes. There are only cells, with no nerves, incapable of pain and therefore while there is life, there is no moral dilemma terminating this life as it is not human. Clearly, this line of reasoning falls short of convincing anyone from the second paragraph.

Hence, we cannot say with any certainty when life, human life, in fact obtains.

There is an intrinsic moral standoff here that cannot, thus far, be solved. Does that mean the end of debate or policy? It ought not to. If we cannot come to terms on a moral grounds this way, are there other reasons, other moral reasons aside from the Judeo-Christian beginning of life argument, why a woman has the right to choose to abort? Yes, I would argue, there is.

There is a libertarian flavor in America that stretches back to the beginnings of this nation. Each

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