Q&A: Morality and Bringing Children into the World
Morality and Bringing Children into the World
Question
At first glance, it does not seem that there is a moral obligation to bring a child into the world. Everyone should do what is good for them, as long as they are not harming anyone else.
However, if we look at Kant’s categorical imperative, none of us would want to live in a world with no children, because that would mean humanity would become extinct. a0
What do you think about this issue? a0
Answer
My view is that you are right. It is proper to bring children into the world. The question of how high a price one must pay for this, and where the boundary lies, is a different question. Even if this has value, that does not mean it is absolute and overrides everything else.
Discussion on Answer
Rabbi,
Isnt it problematic to use the categorical imperative here?
Because the claim of someone who does not have children is not that everyone should refrain from having children, but that everyone should do what they want. And in such a situation, there will most likely be enough people who do want to have children..
Its a bit like if a person chooses a profession for himself and applies Kantian reasoning, he would not say that everyone should choose his profession, but rather that each person should choose the profession he wants.
That is true for (almost) every application of the categorical imperative. That is how it is emptied of content. Therefore I prefer a more general formulation of it, except that one must also take into account other considerations that can override it.
Thats what I thought, thanks!