Endangering humanity: an international crime?

McKinnon, C. (2017) Endangering humanity: an international crime? Canadian Journal of Philosophy, 47 (2-3). pp. 395-415. ISSN 1911-0820 doi: 10.1080/00455091.2017.1280381

Abstract/Summary

In the Anthropocene, human beings are capable of bringing about globally catastrophic outcomes that could damage conditions for present and future human life on Earth in unprecedented ways. This paper argues that the scale and severity of these dangers justifies a new international criminal offence of ‘postericide’ that would protect present and future people against wrongfully created dangers of near extinction. Postericide is committed by intentional or reckless systematic conduct that is fit to bring about near human extinction. The paper argues that a proper understanding of the moral imperatives embodied in international criminal law shows that it ought to be expanded to incorporate a new law of postericide.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/68692
Identification Number/DOI	10.1080/00455091.2017.1280381
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Arts, Humanities and Social Science > School of Politics, Economics and International Relations > Politics and International Relations
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
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