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Children’s rights and the non-identity problem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2020

Erik Magnusson Open the ORCID record for Erik Magnusson [Opens in a new window]
Erik Magnusson*
Affiliation:
Department of Law, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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Abstract

Can appealing to children’s rights help to solve the non-identity problem in cases of procreation? A number of philosophers have answered affirmatively, arguing that even if children cannot be harmed by being born into disadvantaged conditions, they may nevertheless be wronged if those conditions fail to meet a minimal standard of decency to which all children are putatively entitled. This paper defends the tenability of this view by outlining and responding to five prominent objections that have been raised against it in the contemporary literature: (1) the identifiability objection; (2) the non-existence objection; (3) the waiving of rights objection, (4) the lack of legitimate complaint objection; and (5) the unfairness objection.

Keywords

Children’s rightsnon-identity problemrights-based solutionsprocreative ethicsbirthright claim
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Philosophy , Volume 49 , Issue 5 , August 2019 , pp. 580 - 605
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Journal of Philosophy 2018

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