We can’t use the argument that it is better from an impartial view to focus on existing-and-sure-to-exist people/beings because of the classic ‘future could be super-long’ argument.
I’d say the two are tied contenders for “what’s best from an impartial view.”
I believe the impartial view is under-defined for cases of population ethics, and both of these views are defensible options in the sense that some morally-motivated people would continue to endorse them even after reflection in an idealized reflection procedure.
For fixed population contexts, the “impartial stance” is arguably better defined and we want equal considering of [existing] interests, which gives us some form of preference utilitarianism. However, once we go beyond the fixed population context, I think it’s just not clear how to expand those principles, and Narveson’s slogan isn’t necessarily a worse justification than “the future could be super-long/big.”
I’d say the two are tied contenders for “what’s best from an impartial view.”
I believe the impartial view is under-defined for cases of population ethics, and both of these views are defensible options in the sense that some morally-motivated people would continue to endorse them even after reflection in an idealized reflection procedure.
For fixed population contexts, the “impartial stance” is arguably better defined and we want equal considering of [existing] interests, which gives us some form of preference utilitarianism. However, once we go beyond the fixed population context, I think it’s just not clear how to expand those principles, and Narveson’s slogan isn’t necessarily a worse justification than “the future could be super-long/big.”