Intergenerationelle Gerechtigkeit. Eine Herausforderung für den ethischen Universalismus und die moralische Motivation

The article discusses foundational problems of our responsibility for future generations. Usual, more or less formal requirements from normative ethics are: 1. universality with respect to beneficiaries, 2. universality with respect to moral subjects (benefactors), 3. motivational force. These adequacy conditions require that there are motives, which are present in all moral subjects and which motivate to act impartially in favour of all present and future huamn beings (as well as other sentient beings). The paper enquires which kind of motives could filfill these extremely strong conditions. The most important motive filtered out is a special kind of sympathy which is triggered by considering the fate of the possible beneficiaries of our actions.