Interesting article and it raises some uncomfortable questions. Although I think your supposed solution or argument, that there is a person if not a soul present from the moment of conception which calls for the full protection of the law, is decidedly impractical for just one flaw of several. While in a perfect world there might be some justification for providing all the resources necessary for the survival of the embryo right from conception to death or at least birth, the fact of the matter is that is not. I wonder how you would handle what I would call the analogous situation of triage in a battlefield situation: with a limited number of resources hard decisions are frequently necessary.



You are demonstrating the very problem with this issue.  You are trying to define personhood by practicality or functionality and that is the slippery slope this article embodies.



Do you see your right to exist as impractical?



Everyone likes to emphasize the personal responsibility and tough decisions people must make after the fact, after conception, with respect to abortion, but most seem blind to actually emphasizing some personal responsibility and making tough decisions prior to conception.



As for battlefield triage, well, you know grandma is just using up too much of our resources staying in that nursing home, so let's just kill her.