Potter was born in Teulon, Manitoba, and attended Glebe Collegiate Institute in Ottawa before graduating from McGill University with a BA in Philosophy, followed by MA and Ph.D. degrees in philosophy at the University of Toronto.
Potter's birthplace was Teulon, Manitoba, and he received his education at Glebe Collegiate Institute in Ottawa before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from McGill University. He then pursued further studies, obtaining both an MA and Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Toronto.