Obligations towards Future Generations

There are other avenues which Pagans may engage with considerations of our obligations towards future generations. The very idea of future generations may be challenge by a metaphysical paradigm which reject lineal time so that to speak of future generation may make as much sense of speaking to those people west of us until we come full circle to ourselves. Dualism may be inherit within a system that separates actuality and non-actuality people and thus run counter to some Pagans.

By being born we are linked and thus have a biological and moral connection.[1] Many Pagans see this connection as important to their religion and thus worthy of moral consideration. Even though our connection to future generations may be filled with paradoxes and uncertainties, Pagans are inclined toward making moral consideration through intuition and experience in which some of these philosophical considerations are nothing more than interesting thought experiments. However, from my perspective as a person who engages with religious philosophy, I feel that Pagans have a voice—a multiplicity of voices—that should be heard at many levels on the topic of what our obligations are to future generations and other ethical considerations.


[1] Daniel Callahan, “What Obligations Do We Have to Future Generations?” American Ecclesiastical Review 164 (1971).

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About William Blumberg

I engage in religious philosophy within a Pagan context. I serve on the Board of Directors of Cherry Hill Seminary and the Conference on Current Pagan Studies.
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