Passions flare at debate over human status of embryos

When it comes to the definition of human life, even casual dinner discussions can get heated.

Last night, Fusion, a student group that brings humanities and science professors together for dinner, hosted a discussion focusing on perceptions of life.

After molecular biology professor Lee Silver argued that an embyro could not be classified as a human being, one student stormed out of the room to consult an embryology textbook.

When the student returned, he quoted directly from a passage in chapter two that suggested that "human life" begins with conception.

This was only one of many disputes that arose over such difficult issues as "what is a human being" and the "potentiality of human life."

The debate is a perfect example of the divide between humanities and sciences, and the need for groups like Fusion to bridge it, Fusion president Lisa Glukhovsky '08 said in an email.

"I believe that in today's world, where fields ranging from neuroscience to politics have become increasingly interdisciplinary, recognizing and discussing this divide is crucial," she said.

Is an embryo a person?

To illustrate the timeliness of the topic, Silver noted that the South Dakota legislature is about to vote on a law that would require doctors to give women seeking an abortion a statement saying they are about to "kill an irreplaceable being." As a result of this pending bill, Planned Parenthood, the nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the pro-choice opinion, has chosen to bring a lawsuit against the state of South Dakota.

After much discussion, the debate finally centered on whether one can count the "potentiality" of a cell to become a living being as a viable reason to argue for the rights of the cell.

Nir Eyal, lecturer at the University Center for Human Values, told an anecdote about a Bush administration bioethicist to demonstrate that experts are conflicted on the issue of potentiality.

When asked whether he would save a nine-year old girl or a petri dish with a million living cells in the event of a fire, the administration official said his first reaction would be to save the girl but upon sober analysis thought the petri dish was worth more.

While no firm conclusions were reached, students left the event with a positive impression.

"I really think these discussions are beneficial to the Princeton campus," said Alistair Boettiger '07.

"They raise some challenges for students [of Princeton] to address and help people see the other argument.