Ovulation occurs about every 28 days (about two weeks after the onset of menstruation.) Ovulation is when an egg is discharged into the fallopian tube. Most of the time, the egg will move down the fallopian tube to the uterus, break up, and the remains are discharged as menstrual flow.
For fertilization to occur, sperm must be deposited in the vagina within a few (3) days before or on the day of ovulation. The sperm may reach the egg within 15 minutes of ejaculation. There is heavy mortality on their journey. An average human ejaculate contains over one hundred million sperm, but only a few dozen complete the journey. And of these, only one will succeed in fertilizing the egg.
Development begins while the fertilized egg is still within the fallopian tube. Approximately one week after fertilization, an embryo of about 100 cells embeds itself in the thickened wall of the uterus, a process called implantation, and pregnancy is established. After three weeks, the heart has begun to pump, the brain and spinal cord begin as a tube-like structure; and the mother has just missed her first menstrual period.
An egg cell like a sperm cell is special. It only has 23 chromosomes, unlike the other cells of the body which have 23 pairs (46 chromosomes). We inherit 23 chromosomes from each of our parents. When an egg is fertilized it is new unique human life; 46 chromosomes which are unique to itself. It is not a copy of its mother like a skin cell, but new unique human life with its own DNA. This human life will continue to live for another 75 years or so. It will spend its first 280 days in the womb, followed by a few years in total dependence on others for nourishment. Depending on which society it is born into, it will be taken care of for an additional 10 to 20 years.
Most of us would believe it to be unethical to kill 300 day old human life which had just exited its mother’s womb 20 days earlier. But some believe is it OK to kill it 150 days earlier or 70 years later. I believe they are inconsistent in their views because nothing changes between conception and a terminal illness. Human life is human life all along the way. Dehumanization can cause one to believe there is a life not worth living. Dehumanization is the psychological process of depriving human qualities, making them seem less than human and hence not worthy of humane treatment. Slavery, eugenics, and genocide start with dehumanization; and all inconsistent with justice.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Scooter Ride
I went on a scooter ride across the Palouse and into northern Idaho. I left Cheney on the Cheney-Spangle Road to Spangle. I took the Old State Road 195 out of Spangle then turned left onto the Spangle-Waverly Road. From Waverly I drove out to State Route 27 and took it south to Tekoa. Just before I got to Tekoa I stopped for a break and took the top picture. I left Tekoa on State Route 274 which took me to the 
Idaho and US95 to Plummer, Idaho. I turned onto State Route 5 which goes east out of Plummer along Lake Coeur D’Alene to St. Maries. I took the White Pines Scenic Bypass (State Route 3) south then took a right to follow the White Pines Scenic Bypass (State Route 6) in the St. Joe National Forest. It started to rain a little but rain is what makes the trees grow in picture 2. St. Joe claims the largest stand of white pine in the country. As I rode into Harvard, I was feeling a little hungry and saw a sign for 
the Hoodoo Café; I had to stop. I had a nice grilled chicken sandwich, talked to a local guy about the sad state of the logging industry. I saw a number of signs in the area which read, “This Family Supported by Timber Dollars.” The White Pines Scenic Bypass stops at Potlatch which has a huge lumber mill. It use to be the biggest in the world. Route 6 takes me back to Washington. I stopped at the border to take the last picture. At the town of Palouse, I took State Route 27 north through Garfield, and Oakesdale. Both are very well kept towns. I hoped on US195 north, exited at Bradshaw Road and to the Cheney-Spangle Road back to where I started. I averaged 36 miles per hour and 64 miles per gallon.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Equality
It seems to me that racism, sexism, and diversity are the same thing. It is just a matter of perspective.
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Purpose of Sex
I believe sex has three purposes which are in harmony with nature. They are in order:
1. Procreation (Natural)
2. Relationship Maintenance (Feminine)
3. Recreation (Masculine)
The two most basic needs of all living things are nutrition and reproduction. We can reason from nature the telos of sex is the act of producing offspring. Men have reproductive organs and women have complimentary reproductive organs. The first purpose of these organs is to reproduce. We would not need these organs to perform any of their other function; which makes these other functions secondary. The male organ is also part of the urinary tract, but women don’t require a penis as part of their urinary tract. The male organ can provide him with pleasure. Women also have an organ for pleasure which is not required for intercourse. Reproductive organs are, the way they are, for reproduction. Most all animals only have sex to reproduce.
As human beings we have a need to maintain our relationships. Only human beings can produce more children than a mother is able to rear. Non-human babies are almost full grown before their mother could possible produce another baby. A human baby is born extremely under developed. Even in the most primitive societies a human would reach the age of fourteen before they could truly care for themselves. In those fourteen years, a mother could have 13 more children. She needs help. Help gathering food and help protecting the children. Non-human females are moving around quit well, as are the new babies, within minutes of birth. A human mother is almost helpless for a week or two after child birth. She needs help. Help gathering food, help protecting her other children, help protecting her self. There is a need for humans to maintain their relationship. Sex creates and maintains that parental bond.
Sex also feels good and provides pleasure. It is great fun. I can only assume it is fun to encourage people to do it in order to maintain the parental bond.
The affluence and technology of the west has allowed us to stand the purpose for sex on its head. The order today seems to be:
1. Recreation
2. Relationship Maintenance
3. Procreation
This seems to be the opposite of the purpose of sex mainly because there are lots of ways to have fun, and we can have close relationships with siblings, friends, and parents without having sex with them. Reproduction can only come from sex.
1. Procreation (Natural)
2. Relationship Maintenance (Feminine)
3. Recreation (Masculine)
The two most basic needs of all living things are nutrition and reproduction. We can reason from nature the telos of sex is the act of producing offspring. Men have reproductive organs and women have complimentary reproductive organs. The first purpose of these organs is to reproduce. We would not need these organs to perform any of their other function; which makes these other functions secondary. The male organ is also part of the urinary tract, but women don’t require a penis as part of their urinary tract. The male organ can provide him with pleasure. Women also have an organ for pleasure which is not required for intercourse. Reproductive organs are, the way they are, for reproduction. Most all animals only have sex to reproduce.
As human beings we have a need to maintain our relationships. Only human beings can produce more children than a mother is able to rear. Non-human babies are almost full grown before their mother could possible produce another baby. A human baby is born extremely under developed. Even in the most primitive societies a human would reach the age of fourteen before they could truly care for themselves. In those fourteen years, a mother could have 13 more children. She needs help. Help gathering food and help protecting the children. Non-human females are moving around quit well, as are the new babies, within minutes of birth. A human mother is almost helpless for a week or two after child birth. She needs help. Help gathering food, help protecting her other children, help protecting her self. There is a need for humans to maintain their relationship. Sex creates and maintains that parental bond.
Sex also feels good and provides pleasure. It is great fun. I can only assume it is fun to encourage people to do it in order to maintain the parental bond.
The affluence and technology of the west has allowed us to stand the purpose for sex on its head. The order today seems to be:
1. Recreation
2. Relationship Maintenance
3. Procreation
This seems to be the opposite of the purpose of sex mainly because there are lots of ways to have fun, and we can have close relationships with siblings, friends, and parents without having sex with them. Reproduction can only come from sex.
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