On Risk‑Based Arguments for Anti‑natalism

Paper by Erik Magnusson, published on March 2, 2022 in The Journal of Value Inquiry

In his paper Magnusson analyzes several risk-based arguments for antinatalism, before arriving at the following version of one, which he considers the most robust:

  1. It is impermissible to non-consensually impose a risk of catastrophic harm on others unless doing so is necessary to advance their essential interests
  2. Bringing a child into existence involves non-consensually imposing a risk of catastrophic harm on that child that is not necessary to advance their essential interests; therefore,
  3. It is impermissible to bring children into existence.