Eberl, Jason T.2013-08-222013-08-222012-08Eberl, Jason. "Metaphysical and Moral Status of Cryopreserved Embryos." The Linacre Quarterly 79, no. 3 (2012): 304-315.0024-3639https://hdl.handle.net/1805/3458Post-printThose who oppose human embryonic stem cell research argue for a clear position on the metaphysical and moral status of human embryos. This position does not differ whether the embryo is present inside its mother’s reproductive tract or in a cryopreservation tank. It is worth examining, however, whether an embryo in “suspended animation” has the same status as one actively developing in utero. I will explore this question from the perspective of Thomas Aquinas’s metaphysical account of human nature. I conclude that a cryopreserved human embryo counts, both metaphysically and morally, as a person; and thus the utilization of such embryos for inherently destructive research purposes is impermissible.en-USembryometaphysicsAquinasArticle