Broad Definition of Person
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Another approach to a broad definition is taken by Robert Joyce. He argues that a person should be defined as a being with "capabilities or potentialities to know, love, desire, and relate to others in a self-reflective way." The important thing is the capability rather than any actual function. It is that capability that makes a human embryo different from a rabbit embryo.

When does a person begin to exist? Joyce answers that no being can become something essentially different from what it was. Therefore, each of us was a person from conception. Otherwise, the embryo could not develop into what we are; namely, persons.

He adds that we could not correctly refer to "when I was conceived" unless the embryo was a person like the speaker.

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