Science a GoGo's Home Page Forums General Discussion General Science Discussion Forum Fetuses can't feel pain

Again science trumps theologically inspried nonsense.

A senior psychologist at Britain's University of Birmingham says he has found good evidence that fetuses cannot feel pain.

Stuart Derbyshire says his study indicates proposals to tell women seeking abortions that their unborn child will feel pain, or to provide pain relief during abortions, are scientifically unsound and may put women at unnecessary risk.

Derbyshire examined the neurological and psychological evidence to support a concept of fetal pain. He says he concluded that although still immature, the neural circuitry necessary for processing pain can be considered complete by 26 weeks' gestation.

He argues pain experience requires not only development of the brain, but also development of the mind to accommodate the subjectivity of pain. And he says development of the mind only occurs outside the womb.

He said the biological development to support pain experience is ongoing, but the environment after birth -- necessary to the development of pain experience -- is yet to occur. So, he says, as such, fetuses cannot experience pain.

Derbyshire says, however, the absence of pain in the fetus does not resolve the question of the morality of abortion.

Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.ph...n-fetuspain.xml

Again Morgan you astound me with your comments of anit-religion. This is a science forum and if you want people to not put religious remarks on this site, don't attack religion.

No where in the bible does it mention that a fetus can feel pain, so I don't even see the connection between the pain and abortion, based on religion.


I'm not an expert at brain development or psychology, but I would have to say that even if pain is "subjective", everything feels pain as long as the brain is developed. The connection between the pain and experience is important so that we can avoid situations that inflict pain. I think a fetus would be able to feel the pain, but it wouldn't be able to learn from it or know exactally what it is, but just know that it's bad for however long it lasts.

I'm going to assume you are pro-abortion because you have posted this article that seems to be just that. So I have a question for you, when would it be unacceptable to have an abortion?

To me, a fetus is a human being that is not yet complete, and having an abortion is considered murder since you are destroying the life of a human. So another way to ask the question is, when is a fetus not considered a human?

I think the whole article is a horrific indictment of human morals, showing a total lack of indifference and feeling for any type of life that happens to be too immature or weak to make any sort of response to a life destroying knife or bludgeon. Whether it be a seal pup, fish on a hook, or a human produced foetus.
If you are indifferent to any of the above scenarios with no qualms, I dont consider you to be a respectable member of the human race.
To inflict death upon the living, is one thing. But to kill any life that cannot cry out, or show
any reaction, must count as the most deploreable crime in existence today, only practiced by scum.

Nothing to do with religion or bible, its all to do with your own human feelings/morals. If you got any.

This Doctor argues that pain experience requires not only development of the brain, but also development of the mind to accommodate the subjectivity of pain. Stating that development of the mind only occurs outside the womb.
Wanting us, and the women contemplating an abortion, to feel completely at ease. "The foetus feels no pain, so no reason to get upset, you will be up and walking about tomorrow"

Well I will tell you one fact, foetus's can hear music, in fact they stop moving within the womb when a loudspeaker is placed on the stomach, as though listening.
Also, should a needle be inserted to collect amniotic fluid, touch the foetus by mistake, you will often notice a clenching of tiny fists, or a sudden movement.
Hopefully you are a moral human being, you decide.

Danismyname wrote:
"Again Morgan you astound me with your comments of anit-religion. No where in the bible does it mention that a fetus can feel pain"

You've mastered reading ... now try for comprehension. Nowhere in what I wrote did I mention the bible or any specific religion.

Mike ... interesting comments ... but it brings to mind a personal experience related to modern-day surgical anesthesia. Many surgeries involve NOT killing the pain but rather creating amnesia so that the pain experience is not remembered. Is it immoral? Is it cruel? Don't know. But as a patient it is certainly preferable to some of the alternatives.

This is a nothing more than a opioion of someone who is a psychologist, LMAO.. he want his name in the papers so he produces CRAP like this.. funny I would have thought this would be study involving NEURO-science professors, and not some shrink!.. but what do those Neuro guys know.. right!

Can you say, PRE-Birth surgeries use PAIN KILLING DRUGS AKA anesthesia on the babies they operate on them, hummmm... OPPS... junk science once again..