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Is a single celled human zygote an 'organism'?

Is a single celled human zygote an 'organism'?


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Chuz Life

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Inspired by Iangb's steadfast denial; that a newly formed human zygote is in fact, biologically a human organism,....

Specifically, you are claiming that a single-celled zygote is defined as an organism, which is not the case.

I would like to provide some links and take a poll on the issue.

"organism (ôrg-nzm)
An individual form of life that is capable of growing, metabolizing nutrients, and usually reproducing. Organisms can be unicellular or multicellular. They are scientifically divided into five different groups (called kingdoms) that include prokaryotes, protists, fungi, plants, and animals, and that are further subdivided based on common ancestry and homology of anatomic and molecular structures."
-- Free Dictionary.com

zygote
"The single-celled organism that results from the joining of the egg and sperm."
-- Planned Parenthood


" The sperm and egg merge to form a little single-celled organism called a zygote, which consists of the 23 chromosomes from the man's sperm and the 23 chromosomes from the female's egg. These chromosomes will determine the baby's hair color, eye color and whether the baby will be a boy or a girl."-How Stuff Works

"2) zygote : fertilized egg; one-celled organism;"--Oaklahoma School of Math and Science

More links to follow
 
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More links to follow

"organism, being a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently "-Hyperdictionary.com

"Conception and Fertilization! The egg and sperm meet, creating a single cell organism called a zygote."- Pregnancy.org

" The egg and sperm will meet, creating a single cell organism called a zygote "-Maternity Corner.com

"When sperm reaches and is able to fertilize a female's egg, the first building block of life is created in the form of a one-cell organism called a zygote."- Ehow.com

"Upon the uniting of a sperm and an ovum, a single celled organism called a “zygote” is formed. This single celled organism consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes, in other words, 46 single chromosomes, of which 23 are inherited from father and the remaining 23 are inherited from the mother. "- Educational Weblog

"If a woman has intercourse around the time of ovulation, one sperm cell out of millions of sperm that are deposited into the vagina, may fertilize the egg within the fallopian tube. The result is a single-celled organism called a zygote." -Basic Reproductive Biology for Lawyers ; Anne Borkowski, MD

More links to follow.
 
It's an organism. It may not be a "human" organism, but it's an organism.

Well,... I have to admit,... I wasn't expecting that one.

If it's a "human" zygote,... and (per your vote) the zygote is an organism,....

Would you mind telling me what kind of organism it is,... since you believe it's not a 'human organism'?
 
Planned Parenthood? By what measure are they qualified as an arbiter of the meaning of the term organism?
 
Planned Parenthood? By what measure are they qualified as an arbiter of the meaning of the term organism?

Planned Parenthood is but one of many sources quoted.

I found it odd that so many 'choicers' resist the notion that a human zygote is a "human organism;' even as Planned Parenthood acknowledges in their materials that they are.
 
Do zygotes procreate? no. Not an organism. No matter what the Oklahoma School of Math might think.
 
Do zygotes procreate? no. Not an organism. No matter what the Oklahoma School of Math might think.

I'm not very knowledgeable on the subject, but can't zygotes "technically" procreate. Isn't that how we get identical twins?

Well,... I have to admit,... I wasn't expecting that one.

If it's a "human" zygote,... and (per your vote) the zygote is an organism,....

Would you mind telling me what kind of organism it is,... since you believe it's not a 'human organism'?

I know this has some holes, logically, because I've never thought it out. But when I think "human" I think empathy, logic, reason, and even opposable thumbs. In short, nothing a zygote has.
 
More links to follow.

zygote One-celled organism resulting from fertilization. (40) - McGraw Hill Higher Education

"Zygote zygote - One-celled organism formed by the union of a sperm and an ovum"- North Central State College

"Zygote; one celled organism created by the union of a sperm and egg"- CCMBU (power point)

"zygote One-celled organism resulting from fertilization." - Psyed.org

"As a zygote the organism: consists of one cell of only one type"- University Of Minnesota- Deluth

Still more links to come
 
I know this has some holes, logically, because I've never thought it out. But when I think "human" I think empathy, logic, reason, and even opposable thumbs. In short, nothing a zygote has.

Human sperm,... Human egg,... human sexual reproduction,.... Human zygote,... zygote is an organism,....

Again,... if the zygote is not a human organism,...

What kind of organism is it?
 
"Organism" is a convenient label, but like most labels is not complete. A zygote is what it is, and it really does not matter what labels we pin on it.
 
Human sperm,... Human egg,... human sexual reproduction,.... Human zygote,... zygote is an organism,....

Again,... if the zygote is not a human organism,...

What kind of organism is it?

Sub-Homo Sapien? An organism that is neither man or beast. Somewhere in between...?
 
Inspired by Iangb's steadfast denial; that a newly formed human zygote is in fact, biologically a human organism,....



I would like to provide some links and take a poll on the issue.

"organism (ôrg-nzm)
An individual form of life that is capable of growing, metabolizing nutrients, and usually reproducing. Organisms can be unicellular or multicellular. They are scientifically divided into five different groups (called kingdoms) that include prokaryotes, protists, fungi, plants, and animals, and that are further subdivided based on common ancestry and homology of anatomic and molecular structures."
-- Free Dictionary.com

zygote
"The single-celled organism that results from the joining of the egg and sperm."
-- Planned Parenthood


" The sperm and egg merge to form a little single-celled organism called a zygote, which consists of the 23 chromosomes from the man's sperm and the 23 chromosomes from the female's egg. These chromosomes will determine the baby's hair color, eye color and whether the baby will be a boy or a girl."-How Stuff Works

"2) zygote : fertilized egg; one-celled organism;"--Oaklahoma School of Math and Science

More links to follow

The issue is not whether they are a living human organism, but whether or not they are persons.

One human cell is a human organism. It contains 22 autosomal pairs and 1 pair of sex chromosomes.

A human liver cell also contains all of these.

So does a heart cell.

So does a brain cell.

Any cell with a nucleus has these. A zygote has them too.

They are living organisms. They have human DNA so they are human organisms.
 
"Organism" is a convenient label, but like most labels is not complete. A zygote is what it is, and it really does not matter what labels we pin on it.

I notice that you haven't voted in the poll, yet.
 
I notice that you haven't voted in the poll, yet.

It's because I think the question is without real meaning, and I don't like polls that people try and use as gotcha tools. Usually, as in this case, they have not actually thought the whole thing through.
 
It's important to note though that any cell with a nucleus is still part of a holistic system. Even though we can examine a zygote's nature separately, in nature it cannot be separate from the body if it is to continue living. The same goes for any cell in the body, any tissue, or any organ.

So if you're looking at the zygote you also have to view it in relation to the rest of the body. As a cell it needs the body to live and cannot be apart from it for any meaningful amount of time.

Which in turn sort of answers the question. The zygote can't be a human organism if it's dead or separate from the body; it can't be put into a non-human organism to live because it will be attacked; the only place it can live is in-utero, in a human. That to me makes it a human organism.
 
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There's a disturbing lack of biological knowledge around here.

If it's a cell then it's an organism. It has DNA/RNA, organelles, etc. So a cell is an organism. Hence a zygote is an organism. A zygote is a little different in that the DNA in it is not yet active, but it will be, so it's an organism.

Is it a human? Well, if it's not, then what species is it?

So yes, a zygote is a human organism. The real question is about when it gets dignity.
 
The issue is not whether they are a living human organism, but whether or not they are persons.

One human cell is a human organism. It contains 22 autosomal pairs and 1 pair of sex chromosomes.

A human liver cell also contains all of these.

So does a heart cell.

So does a brain cell.

Any cell with a nucleus has these. A zygote has them too.

They are living organisms. They have human DNA so they are human organisms.

It appears that you can not comprehend the differences between a "cell" and an "organism."

It's true, that for the brief point in time that a zygote is only one cell,... that it is "both" a cell and an organism,... There's still no (logical) comparison between a "zygote" which is a complete organism,.. and a cell of any other kind (heart, lung, skin) that is little more than a component of a larger 'organism.'

CarPiece? <---intentionally mispelled
 
It's because I think the question is without real meaning, and I don't like polls that people try and use as gotcha tools. Usually, as in this case, they have not actually thought the whole thing through.

Take your time.

Do some research.

The poll will be here when you return.
 
There's a disturbing lack of biological knowledge around here.
If it's a cell then it's an organism. It has DNA/RNA, organelles, etc. So a cell is an organism. Hence a zygote is an organism. A zygote is a little different in that the DNA in it is not yet active, but it will be, so it's an organism.

Is it a human? Well, if it's not, then what species is it?

So yes, a zygote is a human organism. The real question is about when it gets dignity.

This gets to the root meaning of my other poll, Phatty.

Phallic punns un-intended.

I notice, you have yet to vote in that one.
 
Take your time.

Do some research.

The poll will be here when you return.

Don't even get condescending. I gave you a full answer, which you ignored since it does not fit with your view. PROTIP: there is almost never just two possible answers to any question, so a poll with just two options is almost always poorly designed.
 
Don't even get condescending. I gave you a full answer, which you ignored since it does not fit with your view. PROTIP: there is almost never just two possible answers to any question, so a poll with just two options is almost always poorly designed.

Almost.

Got it.

And, BTW,... I didn't ignore your comment. It was just as meaningless to me as the "lables" you say the definitions were.

PROTIP; If you want more serious considerations (from me),... you have to give some as well.
 
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