[antiRepublicrat]

If one continues along your line of thinking, the line for establishing when one is a human being can erroneously be drawn anywhere.

I say we draw the line further back. A woman has eggs with the potential to become human, all it requires if fertilization. A man has sperm with the potential to become human, all it requires is fertilizing an egg. Any waste of egg or sperm should be considered homicide.

Why not? All it takes for a blastocyst to achieve its potential to become human is successful implantation in a uterus. My examples just take it back one step further in the process.

[Lauren BaRecall]

The only potential an egg has, is to join with a sperm. The only potential a sperm has, is to join with an egg. In the instant they act upon their potential, and have fulfilled it, i.e., join in conception, they cease to be. What you *do* have is a new and unique human being, with an intrinsic value, and potency of his or her own.

Why not? All it takes for a blastocyst to achieve its potential to become human is successful implantation in a uterus.

The blastocyst (baby - lest we lose sight of his/her humanity by the exclusive use of a scientific term) is already a human being by virtue of conception, and therefore its humanity is not dependent on a successful implantation in a uterus.

[Lauren BaRecall]

This is just some food for thought:

Human Genome Map Has Scientists Talking About the Divine -- Surprisingly low number of genes raises big questions

[Lauren BaRecall]

The link I just posted, reminds me of this cartoon:

...which I have on a T-shirt, of course. :o)

[hocndoc]

Again, your problem is with definitions.

"Potential" is not "capacity."