From Brad to worse : rule-consequentialism and undesirable futures

Abstract

This paper asks how rule-consequentialism might adapt to very adverse futures, and whether moderate liberal consequentialism can survive into broken futures and/or futures where humanity faces imminent extinction. The paper first recaps the recent history of rule-consequentialist procreative ethics. It outlines rule-consequentialism, extends it to cover future people, and applies it to broken futures. The paper then introduces a new thought experiment—the "world"—where humanity faces an extinction that is unavoidable and imminent, but not immediate. The paper concludes by explaining why this thought experiment challenges rule-consequentialism's commitment to procreative liberty, and briefly asking how rule-consequentialism might respond to that challenge.