same reason we can't require having x arms or legs as people sometimes don't. but we still count them as human

But that fertilized egg has it's own unique set of dna

Completely separate from whatever entity's created it

So its life

incorrect. it has half and half.

or in the case of incest, it can be a clone

rare and require mother son or father daughter

but can be

I mean sure.

But that really doesn't change my point though. It's a completely separate thing from the parents.

Be those parents the same person or not

And its unlikely to be an exact clone

unlikely, but if it was, would it not have life?

obviously not but why?

So unlikely that it's on the scale of impossible

not really

Babies constantly mutate in minor ways

if you have a daughter, half her DNA is from her father. There is probably closer to a 1/4 chance of any give egg being the same set of dna the egg that made her was

But DNA mutates often

In reproductive cells

The chances are closer to 1/1000000

And agian that really doesn't change my point

if that was the case, then genetic diseases would have a much lower chance of being passed on than they do

Just becuase it can't grow to be old does not mean that the cell is itself dead

but this is all off topic

The cell lives for a time

yes, but thats part of the problem.

So, if you remove a sperm cell or fertilized egg cell from a female, it will not live to 9 months

agreed?

same goes for a zygote, which is like fertilized egg 2.0

now, a fetus could, if you removed it at somewhere around 7 months. it would have low odds, but it could live to 9 months

It wont survive.

not true, premature babies start having a 50% chance of surviving around then i think

Dont really see where your going with this.

not without help but then again neither does a 1 year old

I was answering your question

ah

so it won't survive

not without a female

Still dont see how that means that by outlawing abortion we would be outlawing masturbation?

not saying it would, but i'm not talking about outlawing. Its about what is considered human life, and therefore what is moral to kill and immoral to kill. and why. Its pretty clear why killing in self defense is moral when you don't have an option. most people don't view masturbation as killing although you are killing sperm cells as you made a choice.