Non-Identity Problem
April 15th 2008 22:52
Imagine a girl who wants to get pregnant, she is told by the doctor that if she gets pregnant this month her baby will be born blind but that if she waits one month then she will have a sighted baby. What arguments can we use to persuade the girl that she should wait a month to ensure that her baby is sighted? It seems clear that we can appeal to the girls self interest, it will surely be easier and less stressful to her to bring up a child who can see. However imagine that the girl is indifferent to this reasoning, is there some argument we can use to persuade her that it would be better for her child if she waited a month. At first it seems clear that we can simply tell her that if she waits a month her child will have a better quality of life. However the girl can reply to this by pointing out that if she waits a month to have a baby it will be a different person, made up of different genetic material. If she has a baby this month she causes a child to exist that would not otherwise, provided that child has a life worth living she cannot be said to be harming anybody by doing this.
What are the reasons behind our intuition that the girl should wait a month? Rights? Utility? Or something else?
What are the reasons behind our intuition that the girl should wait a month? Rights? Utility? Or something else?
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Comment by Tyronne
Music Times
Sydney Fun
Vintage Culture
Melbourne DiaryStar
The "it's a different person" argument works for the later child as well.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
That said, I also think our natural instincts point to the healthy child, as it is in the long term interests of our species.