Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/150233 
Year of Publication: 
2014
Citation: 
[Journal:] Theoretical Economics [ISSN:] 1555-7561 [Volume:] 9 [Issue:] 3 [Publisher:] The Econometric Society [Place:] New Haven, CT [Year:] 2014 [Pages:] 629-650
Publisher: 
The Econometric Society, New Haven, CT
Abstract: 
We contribute to population ethics by proposing and axiomatizing rank-discounted critical-level generalized utilitarianism (RDCLU). Population ethics is needed for evaluation of policies, e.g., concerning climate change, where population size depends on the chosen policy. We show that critical-level generalized utilitarianism and (a version of) critical-level leximin are the limits of RDCLU for extreme values of the rank utility discount factor. Moreover, we establish how RDCLU avoids serious objections raised against other variable population criteria. In particular, it escapes both the Repugnant Conclusion and the Very Sadistic Conclusion (one of which critical-level generalized utilitarianism fails for any critical level).
Subjects: 
Social evaluation
population ethics
critical-level utilitarianism
social discounting
JEL: 
D63
D71
H43
Q56
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by-nc Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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