Must Catholics Believe That Life Begins At Conception?

[dells_of_bittersweet]

While there seems to currently be overwhelming support from the Church in favor of the teaching that life begins at conception, is this an official teaching that Catholics are bound by, or is it simply an opinion that we should hold in very high regard? I am intrigued by reading medieval scholars such as Aquinas who believed that life did not begin until quickening.

By "life" I guess I mean the point at which the soul enters the human body. While I believe that the soul is formed at the instant of conception, I was wondering how much leeway one has to argue otherwise. To play Devil's advocate, one could argue that having a brain is essential to the character of being human and that the soul is formed at the point the brain begins to develop. That argument could be taken further by saying that the brain is the mean through which the body and soul connect, and that God wouldnt create a soul that couldnt interact with its body. Would such a position clearly violate Church teaching? If so, what about Aquinas, whose logic runs along very similar lines?

Edited February 1, 2013 by dells_of_bittersweet

[Nihil Obstat]

If I am not mistaken, Magisterial consensus makes it de facto infallible that life does begin at conception. A few people can comment on that aspect more authoritatively than I can.

 

Our understanding of biology is far more advanced than was St. Thomas Aquinas'. Our better understanding of the science behind it makes it clear that fertilization, not implantation or neural development, is the critical moment.

[Groo the Wanderer]

Don't even need the Church to state it anymore. Science has definitively proven it

 

http://www.prolifephysicians.org/lifebegins.htm

 

http://www.naapc.org/why-life-begins-at-conception

 

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/dozens_of_medical_professionals_attest_that_personhood_begins_at_conception/

 

too tired to keep up this cut/pasting

[Winchester]

Science says human life begins at conception. Superstitious folk attempt to create a magical process by which human life begins later. This is due to the gutlessness of those not prepared to become ubermensch.

 

It's sad, really.

[Socrates]

The soul, philosophically speaking is the "form" or life-principle of the body.  A body without a soul is non-living or dead.

Science shows a human being to be continuously alive and developing from conception.

 

Aquinas's writings on this matter are speculative, not dogmatic.  "Quickening" refers to when a woman can first feel the baby move.  Today, we know the baby is alive from conception.  In medieval times, there was not the technology to know exactly what was going on in the early stages of pregnancy.  

And abortion was always considered a grave evil by the Church at any time, regardless of theories of "ensoulment."

 

There is no scientific basis for the idea that an unborn child at some point magically goes from non-living to living.

[Fidei Defensor]

The soul, philosophically speaking is the "form" or life-principle of the body.  A body without a soul is non-living or dead.

Science shows a human being to be continuously alive and developing from conception.

 

Aquinas's writings on this matter are speculative, not dogmatic.  "Quickening" refers to when a woman can first feel the baby move.  Today, we know the baby is alive from conception.  In medieval times, there was not the technology to know exactly what was going on in the early stages of pregnancy.  

And abortion was always considered a grave evil by the Church at any time, regardless of theories of "ensoulment."

 

There is no scientific basis for the idea that an unborn child at some point magically goes from non-living to living.

 

It is true that science has settled the issue, but it isn't necessarily settled philosophically.  

[Nihil Obstat]

These days, any 'credible' (by which I mean seriously argued by respected ethicists) philosophical defense of abortion tends to just grant that the fetus is a human being, but then questions at what point a human being has the full rights of a person. So, philosophically at least, that part seems more or less settled for the time being.

[Winchester]

It is true that science has settled the issue, but it isn't necessarily settled philosophically.

Science has guns and missiles and bombs. Philosophy has dudes in togas, crazy dudes, and Ayn Rand.

Science wins.

[KnightofChrist]

These days, any 'credible' (by which I mean seriously argued by respected ethicists) philosophical defense of abortion tends to just grant that the fetus is a human being, but then questions at what point a human being has the full rights of a person. So, philosophically at least, that part seems more or less settled for the time being.

That a human being is a person should be settled, it should have been settled long, long ago. It just boggles the mind to think of how many times throughout the history of man one group of persons denies the personhood of their fellow man, again and again and again. Then after long and/or great suffering the groups of unwanted are seen as persons, only to have another group denied personhoodand the cycle of violence to continue. The absurdity of it all! Of course a human being is a person, we have learned this lesson far too many times for any lofty denials of it.

[Nihil Obstat]

That a human being is a person should be settled, it should have been settled long, long ago. It just boggles the mind to think of how many times throughout the history of man one group of persons denies the personhood of their fellow man, again and again and again. Then after long and/or great suffering the groups of unwanted are seen as persons, only to have another group denied personhoodand the cycle of violence to continue. The absurdity of it all! Of course a human being is a person, we have learned this lesson far too many times for any lofty denials of it.

I agree. Such arguments definitely are not compatible with a proper respect for human life.

[Fidei Defensor]

Science has guns and missiles and bombs. Philosophy has dudes in togas, crazy dudes, and Ayn Rand.

Science wins.

 

Philosophy can deny your very existence.

[Nihil Obstat]

"Epistemology destroys knowledge."

[Luigi]

Philosophy can deny your very existence.

 

It may deny my existence, but it can't stop me from posting. 

[Groo the Wanderer]

Philosophy dope smoking hippies with no stones can deny your very existence.

fixed.  i knew what you meant to say

[Apotheoun]

The incarnation of the Word of God began at His conception in the womb of the Theotokos, and He is life itself; so yes, life begins at conception.