Update

Just a quick update.

I've been reading religiously, which I haven't done in years. I finished all the Song of Ice and Fire books up to date, which are very good. Read the God Delusion, also very good. I am probably going to start on A Brief Introduction to Neo-Liberalism next to get back into non-fiction, since the last book I read was book five of the Song of Ice and Fire. Then on to Capital. Neo-Liberalism is the concept that the market can drive the ethics of humanity and define them, not the usual definition of liberalism. It was a mistaken purchase, but will be an exciting read.

Something I also intend to read but do not expect to be impressed by is the short story, the Pre-Persons, by Philip K. Dick. It is  pro-life story. Apparently it is one of the better cases argued. Fiction, which makes it less appealing. It involves a society that allows for "abortion" up until the point when the soul has joined with the body, apparently when a person is capable of algebra. Obviously this is an absurd concept, but that is his point, no doubt. Still, I can't help but feel it will be emotionally based, and the concept of a soul being involved just screams religion, which is always the basis for pro-life arguments. Short of a few vengeful people who think those who get pregnant should have to reap the punishment for their actions, (as if children should be a punishment at any time. I can't see that making good parents or happy children.)

This was a hard story to hunt down, and you either pay ten dollars for the collection of short stories it is with, or search around for a free pdf, which I found, (unfortunately the words are too small on my kindle,) here.

I hunted for a viable or reasonable pro-life argument for a long time when I was in high school so that I could pose an argument/counter-argument case for a 'zine I did, (one whole issue, partly due to overhead costs,) in 12th grade. All that I found were emotional, religious, and reactionary arguments. The pro-choice side has its share of gut arguments, and I am full of my own gut feelings about choice, but there are logical arguments as well, which buffer these emotional pleas.

An interesting side debate, regarding reproductive rights, is China's forced abortions, sometimes at nine months, to prohibit more than one child. this has successfully controlled their population, however, so while it is morally possibly deplorable, it is sound in all logical senses. I struggle with the idea of forced abortions. The right to choose should go both ways, should it not? But we have so many people on this earth. Perhaps we should sterilise everyone and require certificates to breed. But no doubt only the rich and privileged would receive them. Who is in a position to decide who can breed and who can't?

Perhaps this has been more than brief. I might delve into the subject of abortion further at some point, but the New York vacation is in two days, and I will have much to report. My father has dubbed it the Ligchauboon vacation. For Ligoneer, Pennsylvania, Chautauqua, New York, and Boonville, New York, our choice spots to visit.