Abstract
Abstract How should we help people live minimally good lives in present and future generations when doing so does not require sacrificing our own ability to live well enough? After all, almost any institutions or policies we might implement impact individuals’ ability to live such lives in future, as well as present, generations. This chapter defends the principle that we should choose policies that prioritize the least well-off in all generations and help as many people as possible in present generations. If we should judge two policies with the same impact on present (future) generations solely based on their impact on future (present) generations, this principle tells us quite a bit about how we should help people in present and future generations flourish. Moreover, the idea that we should ensure that those in future generations have the basic minimum whenever they come into existence arguably entails that we do not have to prioritize preventing tragedies that could afflict many in far future generations who need not come into existence. At least, we should not do so at great cost to those in present and near-future generations. Rather, barring tragic conflicts, we should both prioritize helping the global poor now and ensure that everyone who comes into existence in the future has a basic minimum.
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