A fixed-population problem for the person-affecting restriction

Jacob M. Nebel

doi:10.1007/s11098-019-01338-5

A fixed-population problem for the person-affecting restriction

Jacob M. Nebel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

According to the person-affecting restriction, one distribution of welfare can be better than another only if there is someone for whom it is better. Extant problems for the person-affecting restriction involve variable-population cases, such as the nonidentity problem, which are notoriously controversial and difficult to resolve. This paper develops a fixed-population problem for the person-affecting restriction. The problem reveals that, in the presence of incommensurable welfare levels, the person-affecting restriction is incompatible with minimal requirements of impartial beneficence even in fixed-population contexts.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2779-2787
Number of pages	9
Journal	Philosophical Studies
Volume	177
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-019-01338-5
State	Published - Sep 1 2020
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Philosophy

Keywords

Anonymity
Incommensurability
Person-affecting restriction
Population ethics

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10.1007/s11098-019-01338-5

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abstract = "According to the person-affecting restriction, one distribution of welfare can be better than another only if there is someone for whom it is better. Extant problems for the person-affecting restriction involve variable-population cases, such as the nonidentity problem, which are notoriously controversial and difficult to resolve. This paper develops a fixed-population problem for the person-affecting restriction. The problem reveals that, in the presence of incommensurable welfare levels, the person-affecting restriction is incompatible with minimal requirements of impartial beneficence even in fixed-population contexts.",

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AB - According to the person-affecting restriction, one distribution of welfare can be better than another only if there is someone for whom it is better. Extant problems for the person-affecting restriction involve variable-population cases, such as the nonidentity problem, which are notoriously controversial and difficult to resolve. This paper develops a fixed-population problem for the person-affecting restriction. The problem reveals that, in the presence of incommensurable welfare levels, the person-affecting restriction is incompatible with minimal requirements of impartial beneficence even in fixed-population contexts.

KW - Anonymity

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KW - Person-affecting restriction

KW - Population ethics

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ER -

A fixed-population problem for the person-affecting restriction

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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