--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: BTW A 24 week old embryo is not a human…" description: "\"BTW A 24 week old embryo is not a human being. You're not a human being until you're in my phone book.\" — Bill Hicks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/585/bill-hicks-970_book_btw-a-24-week-old-embryo-is-not-a-human_49100.jpg" --- # BTW A 24 week old embryo is not a human being. You're not… ![“BTW A 24 week old embryo is not a human being. You're not a human being until you're in my phone book.” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/585/bill-hicks-970_book_btw-a-24-week-old-embryo-is-not-a-human_49100.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/585/bill-hicks-970_book_btw-a-24-week-old-embryo-is-not-a-human_49100.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/585/bill-hicks-970_book_btw-a-24-week-old-embryo-is-not-a-human_49100.jpg) > “BTW A 24 week old embryo is not a human being. You're not a human being until you're in my phone book.” [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement sat that personhood is defined by social recognition rather than biological development, using absurdity to critique legal and moral arguments about fetal rights. **In simple terms:** Personhood is socially assigned, not biologically inherent. Key Takeaway Legal definitions of humanity are arbitrary. Themes ethics law biology social constructs politics Mood satirical provocative critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - court debates on abortion - bioethical policy discussions - media commentary on reproductive rights Key Concepts personhood rights recognition Practical Applications - legal analysis of personhood - advocacy framing for reproductive rights Questions to Reflect On - How does society decide when a being gains rights? - What are the implications of defining personhood by recognition? A Different Perspective Some argue that biological milestones, not social acknowledgment, determine humanity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [24 Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/24-week-705702/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Embryo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embryo/) [Embryo Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embryo-human-705700/) [Embryos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embryos/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Old Embryo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-embryo-705701/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [We have outlived this embryo, this human cradle, and now it's time to be up and about the great business of becoming citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-have-outlived-this-embryo-this-human-cradle-and-now-it-s-time-to/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [All of us from fertile egg to embryo to corpse, are exactly that: warm, wet, furry animals compelled by the sexuality of our forefathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/all-of-us-from-fertile-egg-to-embryo-to-corpse-are-exactly-that-warm/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [The 'missing link' between ape and man will probably never be found- because it was an embryo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-missing-link-between-ape-and-man-will-probably-never-be-found/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [Now, an embryo may seem like some scientific or laboratory term, but, in fact, the embryo contains the unique information that defines a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/now-an-embryo-may-seem-like-some-scientific-or-laboratory-term-but-in/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [Clearly, there is some invisible force that is moving every aspect of reality to its next best expression. And the universe is not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/clearly-there-is-some-invisible-force-that-is-moving-every-aspect-of/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Every person is a God in embryo. Its only desire is to be born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/every-person-is-a-god-in-embryo-its-only-desire-is-to-be-born/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-l-moore/a-zygote-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-human-being-i-e-an-embryo/) [Keith L. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-l-moore/) > [ I'm old enough to make you look like an embryo. \[Thorn\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-m-old-enough-to-make-you-look-like-an-embryo-thorn/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When I saw the embryo, I suddenly realized there was such a small difference between it and my daughters. I thought, we can't keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinya-yamanaka/when-i-saw-the-embryo-i-suddenly-realized-there-was-such-a-small/) [Shinya Yamanaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinya-yamanaka/) > [Life is rather a state of embryo, a preparation for life; a man is not completely born till he has passed through death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/life-is-rather-a-state-of-embryo-a-preparation-for-life-a-man-is-not/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [It is therefore proper to acknowledge that the first filaments of the chick preexist in the egg and have a deeper origin, exactly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcello-malpighi/it-is-therefore-proper-to-acknowledge-that-the-first-filaments-of-the/) [Marcello Malpighi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcello-malpighi/) > [It's important to us to see the development and growth. At the end of the day, it's our baby. Genetically it's ours. It's our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rancic/it-s-important-to-us-to-see-the-development-and-growth-at-the-end-of/) [Bill Rancic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rancic/) > [Even in civilized communities, the embryo man passes through the hunter stage of development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/even-in-civilized-communities-the-embryo-man-passes-through-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm still an embryo with a long long way to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-m-still-an-embryo-with-a-long-long-way-to-go/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Is life worth living? This is a question for an embryo not for a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/is-life-worth-living-this-is-a-question-for-an-embryo-not-for-a-man/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## More by Bill Hicks > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [not all drugs are good.. some of them are great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/not-all-drugs-are-good-some-of-them-are-great/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [If you don't think drugs have done good things for us, then take all of your records, tapes and CD's and burn them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/if-you-don-t-think-drugs-have-done-good-things-for-us-then-take-all/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I don't do drugs anymore... than, say, the average touring funk band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-don-t-do-drugs-anymore-than-say-the-average-touring-funk-band/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [How many people disapprove of the job the Conservatives are doing? Seventy percent. Of those same people, how many will vote for them again?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/how-many-people-disapprove-of-the-job-the-conservatives-are-doing/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Christianity has a built-in defense system: anything that questions a belief, no matter how logical the argument is, is the work of Satan by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/christianity-has-a-built-in-defense-system-anything-that-questions-a/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I'm just trying to rid the world of all these fevered egos that are tainting our collective unconscious...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-m-just-trying-to-rid-the-world-of-all-these-fevered-egos-that-are/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I was told when I grew up I could be anything I wanted: a fireman, a policeman, a doctor – even President, it seemed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-was-told-when-i-grew-up-i-could-be-anything-i-wanted-a-fireman-a/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Good comedy helps people know they're not alone. Great comedy provides an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/good-comedy-helps-people-know-they-re-not-alone-great-comedy-provides/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [People ask me what I think about that woman priest thing. What, a woman priest? Women priests. Great, great. Now there's priests of both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/people-ask-me-what-i-think-about-that-woman-priest-thing-what-a-woman/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Oh sorry, I was taking life seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/oh-sorry-i-was-taking-life-seriously/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I can't watch TV longer than five minutes without praying for nuclear holocaust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-can-t-watch-tv-longer-than-five-minutes-without-praying-for-nuclear/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I'm not really a heavy smoker any more. I only get through two lighters a day now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-m-not-really-a-heavy-smoker-any-more-i-only-get-through-two/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [You watch the news these days? It's unbelievable. You think you just walk out your door, you're immediately gonna be raped by some crack-addicted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/you-watch-the-news-these-days-it-s-unbelievable-you-think-you-just/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [What's gonna happen to the arms industry when we realize we're all one. Ha ha ha ha ha! It's gonna fuck up the economy!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/what-s-gonna-happen-to-the-arms-industry-when-we-realize-we-re-all/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) [Explore all 317 Bill Hicks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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