The Beginning: the Brain, the Womb, and the Elusive Definition of Life (SOMGEN 140Q)

3 credits · Undergraduate

Can we pinpoint the precise moment that a human life begins? If so, what do we do with that information? Together we will chart the path between conception and birth with particular focus on the fetal brain and the placental interface. What can biology tell us and where are the gaps? In the absence of a definitive answer, what spiritual traditions, ethical frameworks, and reasoning might we rely on to orient us? Grounded in biology, we will survey a diverse spectrum of attitudes about personhood, fate, and personal responsibility that can be applied to urgent issues in reproductive rights.