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Critical-Level Population Principles and the Repugnant Conclusion

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Author Info
Blackorby, C.
Bossert, W.
Donaldson, D.

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Abstract

Critical-level generalized-utilitarian population principles with positive critical levels provide an ethically attractive way of avoiding the repugnant conclusion. We discuss the axiomatic foundations of critical-level generalized utilitarianism and investigate its relationship to the sadistic and strong sadistic conclusions. A positive critical level avoids the repugnant conclusion. We demonstrate that, although no critical-level generalized-utilitarian principle can avoid both the repugnant and strong sadistic conclusions, principles that avoid both have significant defects.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en économie quantitative, CIREQ in its series Cahiers de recherche with number 15-2002.

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Length: 14 pages
Date of creation: 2002
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Handle: RePEc:mtl:montec:15-2002

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Related research
Keywords: Population ethics; critical-level generalized utilitarianism; repugnant conclusion;

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References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Blackorby, C. & Bossert, W. & Donaldson, D., 1999. "Utilitarianism and the Theory of Justice," UBC Departmental Archives 99-20, UBC Department of Economics.
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  2. Blackorby, Charles & Bossert, Walter & Donaldson, David, 1995. "Intertemporal Population Ethics: Critical-Level Utilitarian Principles," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich.
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  3. Blackorby, Charles & Bossert, Walter & Donaldson, David, 2001. "The Axiomatic Approach to Population Ethics," Discussion Paper 24, Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University. [Downloadable!]
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  4. Walter Bossert & David Donaldson & Charles Blackorby, 1998. "Uncertainty and critical-level population principles," Journal of Population Economics, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Blackorby, Charles & Donaldson, David, 1984. "Social criteria for evaluating population change," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(1-2), pages 13-33, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Blackorby, Charles & Bossert, Walter & Donaldson, David, 2000. "Population Principles with Number-Dependent Critical Levels," Working Papers 2000-06, Rice University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  7. Ng, Yew-Kwang, 1986. "Social criteria for evaluating population change: An alternative to the Blackorby-Donaldson criterion," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 375-381, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Charles Blackorby & Walter Bossert, David Donaldson, & Marc Fleurbaey, 1997. "Critical Levels and the (Reverse) Repugnant Conclusion," Old UBC Departmental Papers 9710, UBC Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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