Evaluating the moral arguments against reproduction
نویسندگان
1 Assistant professor, Department of Philosophy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran,
2 PhD Candidate, Department of Philosophy, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran,
3 Assistant professor, Department of Western Philosophy, Iranian Institute of Philosophy, Tehran, Iran
doi
10.30470/er.2026.2065724.1448چکیده
Reproduction is one of the most important and influential moral, social and legal issues in human societies, and its increase or decrease is the subject of conflict between supporters and opponents. In this research, the arguments of the opponents of reproduction have been analyzed from a moral point of view in an analytical-critical way. In this paper, we will criticize these reasons and their various aspects. As we know, the reluctance to have children has become a serious issue in human societies, because children naturally impose many psychological and economic restrictions and pressures on the family, which has caused an increase in childless families. In general, the reasons of the opponents of having children can be listed as follows: 1) the heavy responsibility of having children; 2) procreation, impairment, Illness; 3) The world is full of pain and suffering; 4) environmental hazards; and 5) overpopulations. Opponents of reproduction believe that for these reasons, reproducing and creating a new human being in a world full of poverty, suffering, disease and war is morally wrong. However, our critical review shows that none of these five types of reasons can prove the claim that people are morally required not to have children.