Philosophical theories of what it means to be a person identify those aspects of our existence that are considered to be the most important and that define what it is we essentially are. Philosophers have long theorized over the necessary and sufficient conditions of personhood, but there is no consensus regarding the properties, abilities, and characteristics that are required for one to be a person.1 Some theoretical conceptions emphasize that only intentional, rational agents can be persons. Others require free will and the capacity to form first and second order desires. Still others focus on consciousness, self-awareness, emotional capacity, autonomy of mind and body, or the capacity for language and inter-personal relations. These elements are viewed as qualities that define what a person is and does. Entities and individuals who do not possess or exhibit these qualities do not fit within the category of persons.