PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - H Watt TI - Potential and the early human. AID - 10.1136/jme.22.4.222 DP - 1996 Aug 01 TA - Journal of Medical Ethics PG - 222--226 VI - 22 IP - 4 4099 - http://jme.bmj.com/content/22/4/222.short 4100 - http://jme.bmj.com/content/22/4/222.full SO - J Med Ethics1996 Aug 01; 22 AB - Some form of potential or "capacity" is often seen as evidence of human moral status. Opinions differ as to whether the potential of the embryo should be regarded as such evidence. In this paper, I discuss some common arguments against regarding the embryo's potential as a sign of human status, together with some less common arguments in favour of regarding the embryo's potential in this way.