Tim Mulgan (University of Auckland/University of St. Andrews): 'Philosophy for an Ending World'
Abstract: Suppose we knew that humanity would become extinct two hundred years from now. How would this affect our thinking about the meaning of life, the existence of God, the permissibility of creating new people, and the need to rectify historical injustice? In my recent book, Philosophy for an Ending world, I imagine debates among philosophers living in a slowly ending world – a place where humanity faces unavoidable and imminent (but not immediate) extinction. I argue that this slowly ending world is both an interesting thought experiment and a credible possible future, and that adopting the perspective of philosophers within this possible future sheds new light on a range of topical debates in contemporary philosophy.
