On becoming extinct

Abstract

From an impersonal, timeless perspective it is hard to identify good reasons why it should matter that human extinction comes later rather than sooner, particularly if we accept that it does not matter how many human beings there are. We cannot appeal to the natural narrative shape of human history for there is no such thing. We have more local and particular concerns to which we can better appeal but only if an impersonal, timeless perspective is abandoned: only from a generation-centred perspective do such concerns help to make sense of our concern for the timing of our own extinction. © 2002 University of Southern California and Blackwell Publishers Ltd.