Utilitarianism versus the Repugnant Conclusion

Abstract

An influential body of literature has challenged the suitability of utilitarianism as a criterion for population ethics. Parfit's (1984) Repugnant Conclusion posits that utilitarianism favors the existence of large, impoverished societies. Dasgupta's (2005, 2019) calibrated models provide support for this conclusion. However, this paper demonstrates that these findings can be overturned by considering alternative, plausible assumptions. For instance, a wealthy society with a small population can be consistent with utilitarianism. The paper argues that utilitarianism offers a reliable benchmark for population ethics.