by Molly Gardner
Can you harm someone by bringing them into existence?
SERIES
The Nonidentity Problem
MEET YOUR LECTURER
Molly Gardner
I am an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Bowling Green State University. Before that I was a Research Assistant Professor in the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. I received my Ph.D. in philosophy in 2013 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My main research interests are in ethical theory, metaphysics, and environmental ethics. I am particularly interested in the metaphysics of harm and the relationships between well-being, impersonal and personal value, causation, and time.
Episodes
EPISODE ONE
Part 1
In this Wireless Philosophy video, Molly Gardner (Bowling Green State University) introduces the nonidentity problem. This problem arises in cases where an individual appears to be wronged by the very action upon which his or her own existence depends. We’ll see why this problem has implications for reproductive choices, genetic engineering, and whether we should take care of the environment for the sake of future generations.
