Adjective Placement

Science has temporarily won out in the stem cell battle, but Right To Life cults have not given up, and probably never will. Whenever the term ‘embryonic’ is placed in front of ‘stem cell’ it evokes the image of an embryo- that is, a physical form about to morph into a fetus. Unfortunate image, and extremely different from reality.
‘Embryonic’ stem cells are a ball of cells differentiated only into three layers. That is why they are so valuable in medical research. Those few hundred stems cells have the capacity to become a toe, a brain, a tongue, or a liver. It just depends on when different genes are turned on and off. Part of what each cell will become depends on its location in the ball of cells at any particular time when the cells are dividing.
For diabetics, one of those cells could be manipulated to produce insulin. Or the exact same cell could be manipulated to help regenerate a nerve. No cell by itself is predestined to become an eye or a heart.
The cults who call this ball of cells (newly divided after a sperm enters an egg) ‘snowflake babies’ are using that language to manipulate emotions. I am not going to use ‘embryonic stem cells’ in this debate any more. I will use the longer, more accurate description- ball of undifferentiated cells.
The honest debate cults can’t afford to have: Does a ball of cells have a soul?
Nancy Sherer