Nick_Tarleton comments on The Meaning of Right - Less Wrong

30 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 29 July 2008 01:28AM

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Comment author: Nick_Tarleton 01 August 2008 03:53:00PM 0 points [-]

Both decisions have the same consequence (a live child who otherwise would not be).

The non-coming-into-existence of a person who never existed, is different from the death of a person who did exist, and had the opportunity to form preferences, relationships, plans, etc. that would be cut off by death. Not to mention the suffering it would bring to friends and family.

Still, the ethics of bringing people into existence or not are definitely a difficult topic.