tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1442827238174603755.post6264137930482359246..comments2023-09-11T08:30:08.843-07:00Comments on Life Training Institute Blog: The Importance of Distinctions [Clinton Wilcox]SKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01905606527143286458noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1442827238174603755.post-72854977627946530522015-04-28T23:23:31.585-07:002015-04-28T23:23:31.585-07:00Thanks. You're correct about the tree example....Thanks. You're correct about the tree example. Chalk it up to not being careful enough with my wording. By "tree" I meant "mature tree" (I'm not sure what the terminology would be for a mature tree as opposed to an immature tree, the sapling). Although, regarding potential humans, I would argue that the sperm and the ovum are potential humans, but it's a passive potential, not active potential (as a tree is a potential desk).Clinton Wilcoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17018335374680419858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1442827238174603755.post-81576924576696229462015-04-25T15:57:28.311-07:002015-04-25T15:57:28.311-07:00Let me disagree slightly on the way some of this i...Let me disagree slightly on the way some of this is expressed. It really is not accurate to state that a sapling is a "potential tree" because a sapling is a tree - just a young, immature one. Granted, a sapling is a potential "adult tree," but it is already a tree. <br /><br />Similarly as you correctly point out later in that paragraph, a zygote is not a "potential human." A zygote is already a full fledged member of the human species, and thus is as much of a human as you or me. This single celled human being is a potential "adult human," but not a potential human. <br /><br />In fact as I often point out, there is no such thing as a "potential human," because there is no known substance which has within itself the potential to become a human - not even a sperm or egg can rightly be classified a "potential human" because neither have within themselves separately the potential to become a human.<br /><br />(Note that by "a human" I am referring exclusively here to a member of the human species - a "human being.")<br /><br />In case you're interested, we also defend the right to life position here:<br /><br />http://therationalabolitionist.blogspot.com/<br /><br />Keep up the good work.Douglas Haroldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02810627575214076015noreply@blogger.com