Appendix B: Population ethics and existential risk

Abstract

This appendix explores the ethical implications of human extinction, particularly in relation to population ethics. It examines various perspectives on how to value the well-being of future generations, comparing the “Total View,” which prioritizes the overall quantity of well-being, with “averaging” approaches that consider average well-being across generations or all lives. The author critically analyzes the “person-affecting” view, which posits that adding happy lives is morally neutral and focuses on the well-being of existing individuals. The author argues that person-affecting views, while appealing in some cases, often lead to counterintuitive conclusions, particularly regarding the value of avoiding lives with negative well-being. Despite the difficulties in establishing a definitive theory of population ethics, the author concludes that preventing extinction is morally imperative, even considering theories that might deem it indifferent. – AI-generated abstract.