Sadler's Lectures
Sadler's Lectures
Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler
Derick Parfit, Reasons And Persons - Lowering Quality Of Life By Growth
11 minutes Posted Jul 21, 2026 at 9:22 pm.
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Show notes
This lecture discusses key ideas from American philosopher Derick Parfit's book Reasons And Persons, specifically the chapter titled "The Repugnant Conclusion".
Specifically it examines his further development of the overall argument in that chapter, looking at how population growth over time could in multiple ways lower the quality of life or the overall happiness for members of a given population. He projects two future populations 100 years from the present, one of which has double the population of the other, lower individual quality of life than the other, but a greater aggregate happiness for that population, and notes that some points of view would say that the greater population is the "better" society.
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