The Rights of abstract persons : a solution to the non-identity problem

Abstract

In the context of climate change, the non-identity problem arises as such: do present generations have a duty to future generations to adopt the strong climate policy—given that this is the alternative to the weak climate policy that brings into existence the particular batch of future generations? In this essay, I will consider the complexity of intergenerational relationships and its implications on the non-identity problem. I also explore the claim that abstract persons can (and do) have rights. Overall, I argue that intergenerational justice imposes a duty on the present generations to protect the rights of future generations.