When does a human life begin?

Where the line is drawn about the beginning of a human life has profound implications not just from a philosophical or religious perspective but also in terms of the application of civil and criminal law.

Option 1: Life begins at fertilization

Biologists from 1,058 academic institutions around the world assessed survey items on when a human's life begins and, overall, 96% (5337 out of 5577) affirmed the fertilization view. 

Option 2: Life is a continium

"We observe the continuous nature of human life, with fertilization representing only one key step, and know that from a biologic point of view, no new life begins when fertilization is achieved. Let us be clear that “life begins at conception” is a religious, not a scientific, concept." Richard J. Paulson

Base question: Termination of Pregnancy Bill

About PByT Surveys & Open Democracy

The PByT surveys represent a rolling snapshot of global sentiment from real people whose identity has been verified. The results can be analyzed in a variety of ways to get a better understanding of key issues utilizing Bayesian statistics - a mathematical concept that updates beliefs in light of new data or evidence.

As a result, these surveys have the potential to be the most definitive resources on some of the most critically important issues of modern times and serve as the basis for the idea of "open democracy."

Have your say and help shape the interconnected world of tomorrow based on trust, mutual-aid and cooperation.