Early Human Embryonic Development: Individuation before Implantation
In this new conversation, we will use some current terminology to describe our biological observations. Rather than using Aquinas' terms to talk about development, i.e. animation, souls, and ensoulment; we will use these terms: human life, awareness, and the process of developing awareness. Based upon our biological observations, we will divide the first forty days of development into three stages. The stages are used to show that an observable and significant change has taken place in the developing embryo or fetus. As our criteria for what constitutes significant change may differ, our delineation of the three stages may differ somewhat. Therefore, we outline these three stages in a tentative way pending dialogue and conversation with others.2