Syngamy or Karyogamy? : interfaces between ethics and science

Abstract

It is often discussed in academic circles, whether the human being exists at the beginning of the process of fertilization as soon as the sperm cell penetrates the ovum, or whether this occurs at some later stage particularly when the two pronuclei of both gametes have fused and they then form a new zygote, that is towards the end of the fertilization process. Opinions on this issue vary enormously especially since the whole process of fertilization or conception lasts about twenty-four hours and the only two landmarks available for verification, are when the process actually starts and when it ends. There is in effect, no moment of conception, but rather a process. In order to answer this question one must first of all set the parameters within which one has to work. The difference between the terms human person and human being has to be made clear during this study, as in society the terms are often interchangeable. I will deal with the philosophical discussions surrounding this enigma and will show in detail, that after taking every argument in perspective, one remains with that of ontological continuity as the only really valid argument to follow. I will look at the issue from the argument following from potentiality, which should be complemented by the argument following from ontogeny.