Equality for prospective people: a novel statement and defence

Voorhoeve, Alex (2021) Equality for prospective people: a novel statement and defence. Utilitas, 33 (3). 304 - 320. ISSN 0953-8208

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Abstract

A possible person's conditional expected well-being is what the quality of their prospects would be if they were to come into existence. This article examines the role that this form of expected well-being should play in distributing benefits among prospective people and in deciding whom to bring into existence. It argues for a novel egalitarian view on which it is important to ensure equality in people's life prospects, not merely between actual individuals, but also between all individuals who, given our choices, have a chance of coming into existence. The article argues that such egalitarianism for prospective people springs from equal concern for each prospective person and has plausible implications. It further shows that it has a rationale in respect for both the unity of the individual and the separateness of persons. Finally, it defends this view against a key objection and shows it is superior to a rival view.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/utilitas
Additional Information:	© 2021 The Author
Divisions:	Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
Date Deposited:	05 Jan 2021 16:29
Last Modified:	17 Apr 2024 03:48
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/108182

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