What is Intergenerational Justice?

There are few more important issues than intergenerational justice. Axel Gosseriess wonderfully clear book provides an invaluable map of this complex terrain, which ranges from the duties we have toward our successors to mitigate climate change, to the puzzles raised by appeals to intergenerational fairness when dealing with a pandemic, and to the fact that we make decisions for the sake of people who do not yet exist and thus do not have a say over what we do on their behalf. A must read. Cecile Fabre, All Souls College, University of Oxford A much-needed book written with care and lucidity. Gosseries demystifies philosophical thinking about intergenerational justice, showing its importance for next steps in the fight against injustice. A compelling read for anyone who cares about what we owe to future people. Catriona McKinnon, University of Exeter Using very clear language capable of simplifying such a complex topic, [Axel Gosseries] manages to make this book on future generations and justice accessible both to those with a philosophical background and to those without. The book is praiseworthy in more respects than I could manage to convey with a review Zeitschrift fr Ethik und Moralphilosophie Axel Gosseries takes stock of the intergenerational justice research with mastery, precision and clarity, also pointing to future research directions A major analytical rigour is combined with writing smoothness that makes for pleasant reading. I think anyone interested in intergenerational justice can benefit significantly from this book. Fausto Corvino, Notizie di Politeia

Axel Gosseries heads the Hoover Chair in Economic and Social Ethics, University of Louvain.

Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter One: Can we act unjustly towards the future? Chapter Two: How much do we owe the future? Chapter Three: What do we owe the future? Chapter Four: What are our climate duties to the future? Chapter Five: Can policies be legitimate towards the future? Conclusion Notes References Index