Who is defined as an individual in the context of the definitions provided?

In the context of legal definitions, particularly those relating to the penal code, "individual" is often defined to encompass all human beings at any stage of development, which includes an unborn child. This definition is critical because it recognizes the legal status of individuals before birth, thus extending rights and considerations to unborn children, not just those who are born and living.

Choosing an “individual” as someone defined at any stage of gestation acknowledges that life, in a legal and biological sense, starts before actual birth. This understanding is foundational in various legal matters, including rights related to healthcare, inheritance, and criminal law.

Options that focus solely on a human being alive exclude those who are not yet born, while focusing on just an unborn child limits the definition by ignoring the implications of individual rights that may extend throughout all stages of life. A deceased person, while still recognized legally, does not fall under the active definition of "individual" in the same context of rights or obligations related to current legal matters.