Benevolens vastator mundi: A critical evaluation of R. N. Smart’s argument and the parameter of ecofascism

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Published: Jan 28, 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/ethiki.25965
Keywords:
Negative Utilitarianism; R. N. Smart; Ecofascism; Environmental Ethics; Human Extinction; Elimination of Suffering; Kaarlo Pentti Linkola; Benevolent World-Exploder
Stavros Dimakopoulos
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6674-3128
Abstract

This article examines the radical philosophical argument proposed by R. N. Smart in 1958, which suggests that the voluntary extinction of all human life could theoretically serve as the ultimate means to eliminate suffering. The study first analyzes this "Benevolent World-Exploder" argument through the lens of Negative Utilitarianism, which prioritizes the minimization of pain over the maximization of pleasure. The author then extends this analysis to contemporary theories of environmental ethics and "ecofascism," specifically referencing the views of Kaarlo Pentti Linkola. The paper explores the ethical paradox where the mass elimination of the human species is presented as a moral act intended to benefit the ecosphere as a whole by prioritizing the survival of the environment over human interests. Ultimately, the author provides a critical assessment of the logical and moral implications of viewing total destruction as a form of benevolence.

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