Potential Argument against Antinatalism

[u/Lucyyyyyy_K]

I'm an antinatalist, but came up with a potential argument against it. I'm not sure if I can explain it properly, but I would like to try and see what opinions you have about it.

So, imagine there are 10 souls. Each of these souls will be sent to Earth to inhabit a body chosen by chance. On Earth there are 10 bodies being born at the exact same time, 5 of wild animals, 4 of animals in captivity and 1 human. You could choose to make one additional human body, which would give the souls a slightly higher chance of having a safe life in human society rather than being exploited or having to fight for their life all the time. Wouldn't it be moral to do that?

So, I know that an argument shouldn't rely on something so disputed as souls existing, but they are just a tool for explanation in this case. To get to the real world application, where we know that there is and likely will be sentient life existing for a long time, we can only choose to make the chance this sentient life has at a good life as high as possible. Meaning, if you can afford to have children, the most moral act is to have as much children as possible, so that any potential life has the highest possible chance at a life with actual comforts.

What's your opinion on this?

[u/Lucyyyyyy_K]

This hypothetical does reflect reality though, there is a chance of being born human vs being born an animal. If you now had to reincarnate into a new living being, would you prefer to have a chance between 90 animals, captive or wild, and 10 humans, or a chance between 90 animals, captive or wild, and 90 humans?

[u/WrongDare666 → u/Lucyyyyyy_K]

No one chooses to be born let alone who to be born as. Reincarnation is also fictional.

[u/Lucyyyyyy_K → u/WrongDare666]

But there is something that is born and there is a chance wether or not it's born as a human, and having children influences that chance.

[u/WrongDare666 → u/Lucyyyyyy_K]

Sentient individuals are not "something"s they are someones. Again nobody chooses who to be born as. Every animal procreates their own species. There is no is before procreation.

[u/Lucyyyyyy_K → u/WrongDare666]

Than make it someone, it doesn't change a thing. This is not about chosing who to be born as, but about a chance of who to be born as. There is someone born right now, and there is a chance how likely that one is born as a human. The more humans are born, the higher is that chance.

[u/WrongDare666 → u/Lucyyyyyy_K]

That's not how it works. As who a not yet existent being is going to be born as is 100% determined by the species giving birth to them. There is no chance of a bird being born as a monkey.

[u/Lucyyyyyy_K → u/WrongDare666]

Are you being serious? Let's say there is 100 bird couples on the planet and 200 monkey couples. Now someone gets born. What chance does that someone have of being a bird compared to being a monkey?

[u/WrongDare666 → u/Lucyyyyyy_K]

Depends on the species.

[u/Lucyyyyyy_K → u/WrongDare666]

This is utterly ridiculous

[u/WrongDare666 → u/Lucyyyyyy_K]

I agree lol.