Moral Circle Expansion Might Increase Future Suffering

Abstract

Expanding humanity’s moral circle to include all sentient beings carries the risk of increasing future suffering. While promoting compassion is important, it can inadvertently lead to outcomes that generate suffering if not coupled with a focus on suffering reduction. For example, preserving wild animal habitats, motivated by compassion, often overlooks the significant suffering experienced by animals in the wild. Similarly, creating large numbers of digital minds, while potentially increasing happiness, also elevates the risk of substantial digital suffering. Therefore, while moral expansion is generally positive, prioritizing suffering-focused values is crucial for ensuring that expanding compassion does not inadvertently lead to greater overall suffering. Combining moral circle expansion with a strong emphasis on suffering reduction offers the most promising path towards minimizing harm. – AI-generated abstract.