I think that’s why “case by case” is so important.
I detest thought experiments most of the time, but I’ll try making one up with as little leading as possible: [most thought experiment are very leading]:
Let’s say you have two equivalent couples.
They’re next door neighbors.
Let’s make them identical twin couples.
[it’s about as plausible as ANYTHING that lumps together people-as-statistical-things]
Have sex same time.
Eggs hit sperm same time.
All perfectly identical in every way.
They’re broke. Destitute.
They’re next door neighbors in an alleyway near a parking lot.
They eat from the same dumpsters. Every half-eaten burger they eat were also eaten by the same person, so they each get the same bacteria and germ collections in their bodies, which pass to their brains, bloodstream and to the babies as well.
So, about as totally identical as you can get.
Statistically, it could likely be proven the baby will die if it’s born… eventually.
BUT:
One day, as they’re walking down the street in lockstep as they always do, because they’re statistically and literally identical to each other, the husband on the far right side is pulled into an alleyway by a stranger while the others keep walking in lockstep.
He’s offer a job for the underworld. Pays well.
Their lives diverge at that point.
He will be able to afford to support the child.
The other husband will not.
lol sorry – I forgot to mention the point tongue emoticon
I was illustrating the absurdity of treating people as statistics.