Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Life and Language

From the AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Babies who hear two languages regularly when they are in their mother's womb are more open to being bilingual, a study published this week in Psychological Science shows.

Psychological scientists from the University of British Columbia and a researcher from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in France tested two groups of newborns, one of which only heard English in the womb and the others who heard English and Tagalog, which is spoken in the Philippines.

This is a fascinating story it its own right, but it is amazing how, whenever there's a story in the news about unborn children that's unrelated to abortion, it's not at all controversial to refer to the unborn as a "baby". But change the subject to abortion and the more clinical term "fetus" is inserted.

I mean, if a baby in the womb has potential to retain some recognition or memory of languages, shouldn't that qualify him for a shot at life? Language is a unique quality and ability of the person. After all, much of the force of the abortion movement is premised on the allegedly inanimate or impersonal condition of the fetus. It looks like science once again puts the lie to that specious claim and backs the pro-life position.

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