16 . Thomas Aquinas trusted Aristotle and placed ensoulment at 40 days for men and 80 days for women -a judgment that is clearly prejudicial. Modern medical science finds that the growth of synapses that wire the brain into all parts of the body take place principally during the 25th and 32nd weeks of gestation. Prior to this, "the fetus is incapable of awareness or volition" (Harold Moritz and James Trefil, The Facts of Life: Science and the Abortion Controversy [Oxford: University Press, 1992] 116f). Today in the U.S., 98% of all abortions take place within the first 15 weeks (Alan Guttmacher Institute); hence, long before the interiority and ensoulment of the fetus develops.