The Heart of the Problem with Longtermism (Draft)

Abstract

In this critique of longtermism, I attack its Heart, the idea that there is intrinsic value in the addition of each new happy being to the world. I provide new responses to longtermists' two main arguments for the Heart (The Argument from Extinction and The Argument from Miserable Beings). I then sketch an alternative view to longtermism, which I call Future Sentimentalism, a view that does a better job of explaining our future-regarding reasons. Finally, I consider an important objection to my critique.

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Ben Bramble
Australian National University

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Moral problems of population.Jan Narveson - 1973 - The Monist 57 (1):62–86.

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