How To Solve Moral Conundrums with Computability Theory
This work addresses philosophical problems in ethics for researchers and theorists, but appears incremental as it builds on existing arguments and models.
The paper tackles moral conundrums in population ethics, such as the Non-Identity Problem and Repugnant Conclusion, by introducing a mathematical model based on computability theory to account for and solve these issues, and discusses implications for human existence and Confucian-Taoist principles.
Various moral conundrums plague population ethics: the Non-Identity Problem, the Procreation Asymmetry, the Repugnant Conclusion, and more. I argue that the aforementioned moral conundrums have a structure neatly accounted for, and solved by, some ideas in computability theory. I introduce a mathematical model based on computability theory and show how previous arguments pertaining to these conundrums fit into the model. This paper proceeds as follows. First, I do a very brief survey of the history of computability theory in moral philosophy. Second, I follow various papers, and show how their arguments fit into, or don't fit into, our model. Third, I discuss the implications of our model to the question why the human race should or should not continue to exist. Finally, I show that our model may be interpreted according to a Confucian-Taoist moral principle.