It seems unlikely that the interests of future generations would be different to our own, so efforts at improving our own interests is very effective at improving theirs as well?
If our interests are qualitatively the same, it doesn’t matter to what extent we weigh their interest. We are achieving it by pursuing our own: health, wealth, happiness.
Perhaps if you feel otherwise, it’s because you feel we are mortgaging our future for the present? I don’t think that is true, generally. Climate change, national debt, insolvent pensions....all are tractable problems we’re either a) solving now and/or, b) are sufficiently incentivized to solve for.
It seems unlikely that the interests of future generations would be different to our own, so efforts at improving our own interests is very effective at improving theirs as well?
In general yes, but whether and how much we discount their welfare affects our decision making with regards to what does the most good
If our interests are qualitatively the same, it doesn’t matter to what extent we weigh their interest. We are achieving it by pursuing our own: health, wealth, happiness.
Perhaps if you feel otherwise, it’s because you feel we are mortgaging our future for the present? I don’t think that is true, generally. Climate change, national debt, insolvent pensions....all are tractable problems we’re either a) solving now and/or, b) are sufficiently incentivized to solve for.