Future generations

What moral obligations do we have towards future generations – to people who are yet to be born, and to merely possible people whose existence (or non-existence) depends on how we decide to act now?

In this module, we explore this question in detail by examining both a series of case studies and some of the main concepts and theories that philosophers use when thinking about these issues.Questions considered normally include:

• Is there a moral obligation to refrain from having children (e.g. for environmental reasons) and what measures may governments take to encourage or enforce population control?
• Should we use selection techniques to minimise the incidence of genetic disorders and disabilities in future populations?
• Should parents be allowed to use these techniques to determine the characteristics of their future children? How should we weigh quality against quantity of life?
• Would a world with a relatively small number of ‘happier’ people be preferable to one with many more ‘less happy’ ones?