--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now an embryo may seem like some…" description: "\"Now an embryo may seem like some scientific or laboratory term, but in fact the embryo contains the unique information that defines a person. All you a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/todd-akin-17203_add_now-an-embryo-may-seem-like-some-scienti_3064298.jpg" --- # Now an embryo may seem like some scientific or laboratory… ![“Now an embryo may seem like some scientific or laboratory term, but in fact the embryo contains the unique information that defines a person. All you add is food and climate control, and some time, and the embryo becomes you or me.” quote by Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/todd-akin-17203_add_now-an-embryo-may-seem-like-some-scienti_3064298.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/todd-akin-17203_add_now-an-embryo-may-seem-like-some-scienti_3064298.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/todd-akin-17203_add_now-an-embryo-may-seem-like-some-scienti_3064298.jpg) > “Now an embryo may seem like some scientific or laboratory term, but in fact the embryo contains the unique information that defines a person. All you add is food and climate control, and some time, and the embryo becomes you or me.” [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that an embryo already contains a person’s unique identity, and that external factors only nurture its development. **In simple terms:** An embryo holds a person’s identity; environment just supports growth. Key Takeaway Identity is inherent, not created by surroundings. Themes bioethics human development identity philosophy Mood thoughtful controversial Type argumentative ethical statement When to use this quote - medical ethics debates - legislation on abortion - public health policy - education on reproductive rights Key Concepts personhood developmental biology nature vs nurture Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define personhood? - How do societal values influence reproductive laws? A Different Perspective The definition of personhood is contested and varies across cultures and legal systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Add](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) [Becomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becomes/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Contains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contains/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Defines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defines/) [Embryo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embryo/) [Embryo Contains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embryo-contains-3761505/) [Embryo Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embryo-like-3761506/) [Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact/) [Fact Embryo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact-embryo-3761507/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [In fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/in-fact/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Laboratory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laboratory/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific/) [Seem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seem/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Embryo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-embryo-5154033/) [Unique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [As I take up my pen I feel myself so full, so equal to my subject, and see my book so clearly before me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/as-i-take-up-my-pen-i-feel-myself-so-full-so-equal-to-my-subject-and/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [People forget we come from an embryo and we're part sperm and part ovary. We have both sides in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/people-forget-we-come-from-an-embryo-and-we-re-part-sperm-and-part/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) > [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/) > [“Just as the embryo recapitulates in brief the evolution of the species, so did Suzanne recapitulate all the styles of her lovers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/just-as-the-embryo-recapitulates-in-brief-the-evolution-of-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [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/) > [“ERV envelope genes possess unique properties that make them suitable for use in forming the placenta: they are fusogenic proteins and they have immunosuppresive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-cordingley/erv-envelope-genes-possess-unique-properties-that-make-them-suitable/) [Michael G Cordingley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-cordingley/) > [“I believe that this hairless embryo with the aching oversized braincase and the opposable thumb—this animal barely up from the apes—will endure, will endure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-heinlein/i-believe-that-this-hairless-embryo-with-the-aching-oversized/) [Robert Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-heinlein/) > [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/) > [The simple reason no embryo can develop without at least one X chromosome is that it's the X, not the Y, that is loaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/the-simple-reason-no-embryo-can-develop-without-at-least-one-x/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [BTW A 24 week old embryo is not a human being. You're not a human being until you're in my phone book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/btw-a-24-week-old-embryo-is-not-a-human-being-you-re-not-a-human/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [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 Todd Akin > [I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-don-t-know-the-future-i-didn-t-come-here-to-tell-you-how-this-is/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [Self-ruled Taiwan cannot be expected to accept such an affront to the legitimacy of its government and the self-determination of the Taiwanese people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/self-ruled-taiwan-cannot-be-expected-to-accept-such-an-affront-to-the/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [America has got the equivalent of stage three cancer of socialism because the federal government is tampering in all kinds of stuff it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/america-has-got-the-equivalent-of-stage-three-cancer-of-socialism/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [You know, don't tell anybody I'm a jail bird, you know, but there were a bunch of us that were years ago involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/you-know-don-t-tell-anybody-i-m-a-jail-bird-you-know-but-there-were-a/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [I'm a dad and that's pretty important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-m-a-dad-and-that-s-pretty-important/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [Anybody who knows something about the history of the human race knows that there is no civilization which has condoned homosexual marriage widely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/anybody-who-knows-something-about-the-history-of-the-human-race-knows/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [Just because somebody makes a mistake doesn't make them useless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/just-because-somebody-makes-a-mistake-doesn-t-make-them-useless/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [I was involved in some peaceful protests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-was-involved-in-some-peaceful-protests/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [It is an essential tenet of our whole representative form of government, the idea that there should not be some tyranny which makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/it-is-an-essential-tenet-of-our-whole-representative-form-of/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [I am deeply concerned about America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-am-deeply-concerned-about-america/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [I don't know the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-don-t-know-the-future/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [We have a long heritage of freedom that defines America. We believe there is a Creator who blessed us with life, liberty and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/we-have-a-long-heritage-of-freedom-that-defines-america-we-believe/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [I oppose the attempts of homosexual activists to treat homosexual activity as a civil right to be protected and promoted by the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-oppose-the-attempts-of-homosexual-activists-to-treat-homosexual/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [I'm standing for real freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/i-m-standing-for-real-freedom/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [At the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/at-the-heart-of-liberalism-really-is-a-hatred-for-god-and-a-belief/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) [Explore all 37 Todd Akin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Global is a unifying bond for people. Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) [Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now an embryo may seem like some scientific or laboratory term, but in fact the embryo contains the unique information that defines a person. 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