The Repugnant Conclusion
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8070191 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Bill Anglin (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1977 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 745-754 |
| Publication date | 1977-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Canadian Journal of Philosophy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0045-5091 • E-ISSN: 1911-0820 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00455091.1977.10716193 |
| OpenAlex | W643435952 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 9 |
| References cited | 4 |
On an act utilitarian view it is morally permissible if not obligatory to choose to perform an action which contributes as much as any other action to the total happiness (utility) of all those capable of enjoying happiness. As the view has just been stated, however, there is some question of how we are to understand the phrase “all those capable of enjoying happiness”. For even leaving aside the possibility that animals or spirits might be included, there is still the matter of the size of the population of humans “capable of enjoying happiness”. Furthermore, among our ethical decisions themselves are decisions which would cause a decrease or increase in population and which in perhaps even more specific ways determine the applicability of this phrase “all those capable of enjoying happiness”. According to the socalled classical or total utilitarian principle, the phrase in question is understood as describing some population whose existence will enable one to maximize the net amount of happiness. For on the classical principle what one is obligated to do is simply to maximize net happiness
Action (physics · Aside · Economics · Epistemology · Happiness · Linguistics · Phrase · Population · Positive economics · Sociology · Philosophical Ethics and Theory · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Psychology · Demography · Philosophy · Social Psychology
Ex Post Average Utilitarianism Can Be Worse for All Affected, Even If No Contingently Existing Person Is Affected
Repugnance without Mere Addition
Measures to avoid the repugnant conclusion
A Dissolution of the Repugnant Conclusion
Repugnant conclusions
Quantity, quality, equality
Repugnance Or Intransitivity
Against Equality and Priority
What Should We Agree on about the Repugnant Conclusion
| Unique citing works | 9 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,47 |
| Citation span | 2007 - 2026 (20) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 9 |