Earlier this week, pro-life activist Stephanie Gray spoke at Google headquarters, challenging pro-choice listeners to think of the issue in a different way. She asks that the Socratic method be applied when thinking about it, meaning that people ask and answer questions of each other to have a productive dialogue, rather than simply state their opinions.

She also spoke of others being considered heroes for putting the lives of others ahead of their own in other circumstances, such as pilot Sully Sullenberger in the “miracle on the Hudson.”

“If you agree that it was correct for the pilot to put the passengers ahead of himself, to prioritize the needs of his dependents,” she said, “then wouldn’t it follow, that when it comes to the topic of abortion and an unplanned pregnancy, that a pregnant woman ought to prioritize the needs of her dependent?”

Of course, this argument could depend on personhood. She spoke of IVF and even dog breeders, both of whom consider a life to be created at fertilization.  “Should personhood be grounded in how old we are, or should personhood be grounded in what we are?” she asked. She said that it was the responsibility of every person to help the weaker, and the most vulnerable among us are the unborn.

“Since you believe that we should prioritize weaker and more vulnerable people ahead of stronger people, then shouldn’t we actually prioritize the needs of the pre-born child?” she said.

Gray did not pretend that this was easy, and gave examples of those who had walked through terrible situations to choose life. One was a rape victim who was a child herself, one gave birth to a child who was sick, and another was heartsick over her own abortion and went on to counsel other women against them.

“They’re inspiring because they put others ahead of themselves, because they had perspective, and because they did the right thing, even when it was hard,” she said of all the stories she had told throughout the talk. “And that’s the challenge that I leave all of you with today.”

Overall, Gray encouraged those in the audience to ask questions to seek to understand the pro-life position. The message must have resonated, because the video was uploaded to video, as Google talks are, and is doing very well.  As of this publication of this piece, three days after the speech was given, the video has nearly four times the views of a talk given by Cecile Richards at Google in March.