Would It Be Unethical to Dump Radioactive Wastes in the Ocean? The Surprising Implications of the Person-Altering Consequences of Policies

Authors

Gregory S. Crespi, Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of LawFollow

Abstract

This article examines whether policy-making is constrained by ethical obligations to future generations. While there is broad consensus that we have ethical obligations to implement policies that benefit distant future generations, the author deems it impossible to formulate a satisfactory rationale for this position based solely on conventional ethical premises. The author reaches this conclusion after considering the ethical implications of the pervasiveness of person-altering consequences.

Publication Title

Ecology Law Currents

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Policymaking, Ethical Issues, Future Generations, Ethical Obligations, Person-Altering Consequences, Conventional Ethical Premises

Recommended Citation

Gregory Scott Crespi, Would It Be Unethical to Dump Radioactive Wastes in the Ocean - The Surprising Implications of the Person-Altering Consequences of Policies, 35 Ecology L. Currents 43 (2008)