Is a blastocyst a person?
Many believe that life begins the moment the egg and sperm fuse to form the first cell. At this point, they believe, the cell is given a soul, otherwise known as ”ensoulment.” By this reasoning, the blastocyst is morally just like a person, endowed with the same basic human rights. To destroy the blastocyst is murder, in their view. And stem cell research, whatever benefit it may have, comes at the expense of this slaughter, they feel. Supporters of embryonic stem cell research fall into two camps. There are those who believe that an embryo should not be considered a human life until well into a pregnancy. Some say after three months; others after six. A smaller group believes life starts at birth. There are also stem cell researchers who believe ensoulment occurs quite early, but later than the blastocyst stage. They point out that a blastcyst still has potential to become twins. How, then, can it have a soul? They believe as soon as the stem cells start on their missions and the fa
