Negation and Asymmetry: What is Left of Negative Utilitarism

Početak rada posvećen je opštem Poperovom razumevanju naučnog metoda, u kojem se posebno izdvaja momenat opovrgavanja. Drugi deo rada izlaže primenu na polje etike i „javne politike“ tog modela, u formi onoga što će se posle Popera nazvati „negativni utilitarizam“. Potom se pažnja usmerava na prigovore koji su upućeni negativnom utilitarizmu, pre svega kada je reč o onom „odvratnom zaključku“ koji ga približava promortalizmu i antinatalizmu. U završnom delu nastoji se, jednim svođenjem na princip a ne na kompletnu teoriju ili zaokruženu koncepciju, odbraniti ono što preostaje od intuicije koja motiviše negativni utilitarizam.The beginning of the paper is dedicated to Popper’s general understanding of the scientific method, in which the moment of refutation stands out. The second part of the paper presents the application of that model to the field of ethics and ’public policy,’ in the form of a suggestion to be called later ’negative utilitarianism.’. Then, attention is focused on the objections addressed to negative utilitarianism, primarily when it comes to the ’ repugnant conclusion’ that brings it closer to promortalism and anti-natalism. In the final part, the author strives to defend what remains of the intuition that motivates negative utilitarianism by its reduction to a principle, and not to a complete theory or a comprehensive conception