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KMID : 1172020050060020001
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Journal of Korean Bioethics Association
2005 Volume.6 No. 2 p.1 ~ p.10
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Why should we protect the life of early human being?
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Ku In-Hoe
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Abstract
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The question of the moral status of human life in its early stages - of its biological, social and personal attributes continue to be philosophically controversial and in need of exploration. From the moment of fertilization the embryo is an individual human being, who is beginning this life cycle. The human embryo is undoubtedly a being in whom, as in all living substances, the principle of development and change is within the substance itself. It is really this internal principle that determines the embryo’s development. The zygote is actually already a human being, developing his own internal program. This program is already complete, sufficient, individualized and activates itself obviously only when there are the necessary conditions for development. At fertilization or conception does a man actually begin to exist. In its development the substantial "unity" of the zygote reveals a substantial "continuity", because the principle of development and of change is within the substance itself. If we recognize the human embryo as an individual human being, with the quality and dignity that belong to a human person, one must accordingly recognize the duty to legally protect him. The first principle to apply to the human embryo is that which refers to every man’s fundamental right to life and to physical and genetical integrity. That is how the protection, already recognized for children, the sick and the physically and mentally handicapped, has to be extended to the human embryo.
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KEYWORD
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embryo, potentiality, continuity, identity, personality
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