In defence of children: pro- and anti-natalist arguments in moral philosophy and Karl Barth

Thesis

This dissertation defends a presumptive willingness to have children (‘procreative fideism’) through a critical dialogue with contemporary moral philosophy and Karl Barth’s understanding of procreation in Church Dogmatics. The first chapter argues that neutrality between ‘optimistic’ and ‘pessimistic’ accounts of procreative risk and rationality entail a de facto anti-natalism, and that otherwise attractive constructivist pro-natalisms that appeal to ‘parenthood’ as a non...

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Authors: Anderson, M

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-zoz9rzjo0
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford