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Can We Harm Future People?

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  • Alan Carter

Abstract

It appears to have been established that it is not possible for us to harm distant future generations by failing to adopt long-range welfare policies which would conserve resources or limit pollution. By exploring a number of possible worlds, the present article shows, first, that the argument appears to be at least as telling against Aristotelian, rights-based and Rawlsian approaches as it seems to be against utilitarianism, but second, and most importantly, that it only holds if we fail to view moral agents as individuals. The article also concludes that the argument has profoundly counter-intuitive implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Alan Carter, 2001. "Can We Harm Future People?," Environmental Values, White Horse Press, vol. 10(4), pages 429-454, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:env:journl:ev10:ev1020
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    future generations; Schwartz; Parfit; non-identity problem; person-affecting principle;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty
    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development

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