Revisiting variable-value population principles

Walter Bossert, Susumu Cato and Kohei Kamaga

Economics and Philosophy, 2023, vol. 39, issue 3, 468-484

Abstract: We examine a general class of variable-value population principles. Our particular focus is on the extent to which such principles can avoid the repugnant and sadistic conclusions. We show that if a mild limit property is imposed, avoidance of the repugnant conclusion implies the sadistic conclusion. This result generalizes earlier observations by showing that they apply to a substantially larger class of principles. Our second theorem states that, under the limit property, the axiom of mere addition also conflicts with avoidance of the repugnant conclusion. This result is a consequence of a similar observation that appears in the earlier literature.

Date: 2023
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