Mary Ann Warren and the Potentiality Argument Against Abortion

Various arguments have been presented in defense of the right to life of the fetus, one of which is the argument from potentiality. Abortion opponents claim that fetal potentiality can be a strong reason to grant them the basic moral rights. That is, fetuses are potential persons upon conception and, given the possibility of natural growth, they will certainly become persons. They have, thus, at least the right to life. Conservatives consider fetal potentiality as a sufficient reason for attributing to fetuses the right to life. They argue that (1) killing a potential human being is wrong, and (2) a fetus is a potential human being. Therefore, it is wrong to kill a fetus. In contrast, some philosophers, including Mary Anne Warren whose works have attracted attention from many philosophers, believe that the argument from potentiality is not efficient in defending the right to life of fetuses, and reject it for several reasons. In this article, we will study Warren's viewpoint on the argument from potentiality against abortion.