Millian superiorities and the repugnant conclusion
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Millian superiorities and the repugnant conclusion. / Jensen, Karsten Klint.
In: Utilitas, Vol. 20, No. 3, 2008, p. 279-300.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Millian superiorities and the repugnant conclusion
AU - Jensen, Karsten Klint
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - James Griffin has considered a form of superiority in value that is weaker than lexical priority as a possible remedy to the Repugnant Conclusion. In this article, I demonstrate that, in a context where value is additive, this weaker form collapses into the stronger form of superiority. And in a context where value is non-additive, weak superiority does not amount to a radical value difference at all. These results are applied on one of Larry Temkin's cases against transitivity. I demonstrate that Temkin appeals to two conflicting notions of aggregation. I then spell out the consequences of these results for different interpretations of Griffin's suggestion regarding population ethics. None of them comes out very successful, but perhaps they nevertheless retain some interest.
AB - James Griffin has considered a form of superiority in value that is weaker than lexical priority as a possible remedy to the Repugnant Conclusion. In this article, I demonstrate that, in a context where value is additive, this weaker form collapses into the stronger form of superiority. And in a context where value is non-additive, weak superiority does not amount to a radical value difference at all. These results are applied on one of Larry Temkin's cases against transitivity. I demonstrate that Temkin appeals to two conflicting notions of aggregation. I then spell out the consequences of these results for different interpretations of Griffin's suggestion regarding population ethics. None of them comes out very successful, but perhaps they nevertheless retain some interest.
U2 - 10.1017/S0953820808003154
DO - 10.1017/S0953820808003154
M3 - Journal article
VL - 20
SP - 279
EP - 300
JO - Utilitas
JF - Utilitas
SN - 0953-8208
IS - 3
ER -
ID: 9611106