Ihmiselämää

Ihmiselämää is a Finnish term used to refer to the life of a human being. In Finnish discourse, it denotes the entire span from birth to natural death and is frequently employed in philosophical, ethical, religious, and legal discussions about the value, dignity, and protection of human life.

The word combines ihminen (human) and elämä (life). It appears in inflected forms such as ihmiselämää (partitive) or ihmiselämän (genitive) and is used across different registers, from scholarly writing to public debate.

Discussions around ihmiselämää cover biological aspects (development, health), psychological and social dimensions (personhood, identity), and moral considerations (value of life, rights). Contemporary debates address issues such as abortion, euthanasia, end-of-life care, organ donation, and disability rights.

In Finnish law, the protection of life and the dignity of the individual form a basis for various rights and healthcare policies.

In religious and secular ethics, ihmiselämää is used to argue for the inviolability and worth of each person, though interpretations vary.

Related topics include human rights, dignity, bioethics, and personhood.