Some Presuppositions of Humanity

"As members of the human species, futureminimize human pain. Since persons born in future
generations will be essentially the same as we are."generations will still be part of our species, we can
That is, they will have the same basic need and seekpresume that this principle will describe their ethics as
the same basic rights. By basic needs I am referring,well. So the principle applies intergenerationally. We
as a minimum, to those things necessary for humanare morally obliged to seek the maximum happiness
survival: food, water, air, etc. I also include, negativelyof all people, present and future.
protection from life-destroying conditions, such as"One is born in a given generation by an accident of
extreme temperatures, a poisoned environment, orhistory." None of us chose when he or she would be
damaging levels of radioactivity. These needs deriveborn. Since we could have been born into any
directly from the most basic human right, the right togeneration, we have no claim to special interests for
exist. There are other rights and other needs, too,our own. Indeed, if an impartial observer who could
but the claim to them is less powerful than the claimssee all generations at once were asked to resolve
directly associated with life itself.these issues, he would undoubtedly try to be fair to
"Future generations will seek their own pleasure, justall generations -past, present, and future. If this
as we do." Utilitarian call this the only motivating forcejudgment is valid for the impartial observer, shouldn't
of human activity on the grounds that all otherit also be valid for members of every generation,
motives can be reduced to it. They have, therefore,including our own? The "golden rule" applies not just
proposed the general ethical principle that we shouldto contemporaries; it applies intergenerationally as
always seek to maximize human happiness andwell.