What We Owe to Future People

An impressive statement and development of the contractualist position on future generations, which everyone will now have to take seriously. Elizabeth Finneron-Burns has set the benchmark against which those of us who disagree will have to respond. * Stephen M. Gardiner, Professor of Philosophy and Ben Rabinowitz Professor of the Human Dimensions of the Environment, University of Washington, Seattle *
What We Owe to Future Generations is both an outstanding introduction to the central questions of intergenerational ethics and the best defense to date of the value of thinking about them in the way contractualism invites. It is certain to become one of the standard texts that anyone interested in intergenerational ethics should read. * Rahul Kumar, Queen's University *
The question of What We Owe to Future Generations has accurately been described as "mind-bending" in its difficulty, and yet it is a question of profound importance for central decisions of how we should best live, how we should make procreative decisions, and how we should deal with the problems of climate change. In this wise, well-informed and judicious book, Elizabeth Finneron-Burns approaches theseehon issues with skill and clarity, taking an approach that is rooted in the contractualist ethical theory of T. M. Scanlon. Everyone interested in the ethical questions generated by our relationship to future people will find this book informative, thoughtful and stimulating. * Martin O'Neill, Professor of Political Philosophy, University of York *