Unfinished Business

Philosophers' Imprint 23 (1): 4, 1-15 (2023)
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Abstract

According to an intriguing though somewhat enigmatic line of thought first proposed by Jonathan Bennett, if humanity went extinct any time soon this would be unfortunate because important business would be left unfinished. This line of thought remains largely unexplored. I offer an interpretation of the idea that captures its intuitive appeal, is consistent with plausible constraints, and makes it non-redundant to other views in the literature. The resulting view contrasts with a welfare-promotion perspective, according to which extinction would be bad because it would come at a massive opportunity cost in terms of feasibly achievable welfare over the lifetime of our species.

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Author's Profile

Jonathan Knutzen
New York University

Citations of this work

Genetically engineered herbicide resistance, part two.Gary Comstock - 1990 - Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 3 (2):114-146.

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References found in this work

Meaning in Life and Why It Matters (Markus Rüther).Susan Wolf - 2011 - Philosophischer Literaturanzeiger 64 (3):308.
Happiness and Meaning: Two Aspects of the Good Life.Susan Wolf - 1997 - Social Philosophy and Policy 14 (1):207.
Happiness and meaning: Two aspects of the good life.Susan Wolf - 1997 - Social Philosophy and Policy 14 (1):207-225.

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