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    Negative utilitarianism, as Smart argued, entails that pa... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→Negative utilitarianism implies that a government should provide free contraceptives, because doing so reduces pain and other disvalues.

    Negative utilitarianism, as Smart argued, entails that painlessly exterminating all sentient life is obligatory, since it eliminates all future suffering.

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    Reasons For

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    • 1.If reducing suffering is the only intrinsic good, then any world with less suffering is better, regardless of other losses.
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    • 2.Future sentient beings will inevitably experience suffering; extinction eliminates this certainty of future harm.
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    • 3.A theory that produces absurd conclusions (mandatory extinction) reveals a flaw in its foundational axioms about value.
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    Reasons Against

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    • 1.Negative utilitarianism can distinguish between preventing future suffering and eliminating existing beings' positive experiences.
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    • 2.The mere capacity to suffer doesn't override the value of existence; pleasure and meaning provide independent reasons against extinction.
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    • 3.Smart's reductio may target an extreme formulation, not negative utilitarianism properly constrained by additional principles.
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    Related

    A theory that produces absurd conclusions (mandatory extinction) reveals a flaw ...Future sentient beings will inevitably experience suffering; extinction eliminat...If reducing suffering is the only intrinsic good, then any world with less suffe...Negative utilitarianism can distinguish between preventing future suffering and ...
    +3 moreShow less
    Negative utilitarianism implies that a government should provide free contracept...Smart's reductio may target an extreme formulation, not negative utilitarianism ...The mere capacity to suffer doesn't override the value of existence; pleasure an...

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