When does life begin?

(A reaction paper to a video of Scott F. Gilbert, Ph.D. in answering the question – When is an
embryo a person?)

Most of the time, science doesn’t go along well with other fields; it’s unparalleled and
opposing. For instance, science and religion always clash with each other where science is based
on facts and religion holds on faith.
The issue presented on the video of Scott F. Gilbert, Ph.D. is an interesting yet
unresolved one – When does life begin? Before watching and learning the video, I also have the
belief that life begins at fertilization of the sperm and the egg as taught by my former science
teachers. This was supported by the notion that public media predisposed us to that idea as
shown in the video. We all know that when fertilization occurs, both the gametes from the father
and mother become one fertilized zygote or embryo. And there would life begins upon the
formation of organs, especially the heart. That is why I have this strong grudge against women
committing abortion for I know that what is being extracted from them is already a life form.
But after watching and learning from the video, I have this enlightenment that life or
personhood may begin on five points on human or any animal development. Though there is still
a debate and no consensus among scientific experts have been established regarding the matter,
it’s now clearer and distinct that life and personhood begin at any of the five points in our lives.

Reynaldo M. Bañaria, Jr.

MS Biology