Definition
An ethical framework in population ethics that suggests the best outcome is the one that maximizes the total amount of well-being, regardless of how it is distributed.
Why It Matters
The ‘Total View’ is the antidote to specialization-blindness. By attempting to see the entire context of a problem—the physics, the economics, and the human psychology—a strategist can identify the ‘hidden’ variables that a narrow expert would overlook.
Core Concepts
- Utilitarianism: Maximizing overall utility or happiness.
- Repugnant Conclusion: The implication that a massive population with lives barely worth living is better than a smaller population with excellent lives.
- Value Additivity: The idea that well-being can be summed across individuals.