| Summary: | The claim that we have duties to future generations has become omnipresent in environmental discourse. Yet we risk underestimating the grave ethical challenge presented by such moral claims if we ignore the works of Hans Jonas. His influence has been limited, however, by his debateable political and ontological speculations. This paper emphasizes nonetheless the contemporary relevance of Jonas at several levels. 1) More compellingly than many other environmental philosophers, Jonas highlights the tensions between our ordinary ethical presuppositions and the structure of ecological problems : their complexity, their long term effects, and their origins in the momentum of technological choices. 2) Jonas's ontological speculations cast light on another troubling facet of our references to "future generations" : No one can know their values and interests. No consultation allows us to check their preferences. We are therefore obliged to philosophize about the conditions and values that will be important to them. Some sort of philosophical essentialism is unavoidable. 3) Jonas understands that a new environmental ethic must have a political dimension. The goal is to influence the physical and biological world - not just to preserve the purity of our souls. But can we conceive our responsibilities toward future generations without lapsing into authoritarianism ? To legitimate a future-regarding politics, certain forms of popular consultation are not only possible, but absolutely essential. These forms would be inspired more by the theory of deliberative democracy than by electoral, representative democracy.
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