2024/10/31 by Gil Hersch, Daniel Weltman · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Physics and Astronomy · #Philosophical Ethics and Theory #Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life #Theology and Philosophy of Evil
paper · doi:10.1163/17455243-20244139
openalex publication_date 2024/10/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Abstract Many believe that an upward-sloping life is better than a downward-sloping life because of its shape. This is a common way of formulating the shape of a life hypothesis. We argue that the hypothesis is mistaken. We need not assume that there is something intrinsically valuable in the shape of one’s life to justify the tendency to judge an upward-sloping life as better than a downward sloping one. Instead, we can appeal to more fundamental and less controversial claims to justify such a judgment. What one might justifiably judge to be better are features of lives which are often (though not necessarily) correlated with, rather than constituted by, an upward slope.