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Are long-lived persons utility monsters?

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  • Ponthiere, Gregory

Abstract

Nozick’s ‘utility monster’ is often regarded as impossible, because one life cannot be better than a large number of other lives. Against that view, I propose a purely marginalist account of utility monster defining the monster by a higher sensitivity of well-being to resources (instead of a larger total well-being), and I introduce the concept of collective utility monster to account for resource predation by a group. Since longevity strengthens the sensitivity of well-being to resources, large groups of long-lived persons may, if their longevity advantage is sufficiently strong, fall under the concept of collective utility monster, against moral intuition.

Suggested Citation

  • Ponthiere, Gregory, 2025. "Are long-lived persons utility monsters?," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 41(2), pages 376-394, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:ecnphi:v:41:y:2025:i:2:p:376-394_8
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