What debt do we owe to future generations? A philosophical analysis at the example of amazonas

Abstract

This article aims to examine the moral obligations of present generations toward future ones, using the example of the Amazon as a reference. Through a philosophical analysis, it discusses how the human relationship with labor and reproduction — historically viewed as duties of progress — has become a factor of environmental destruction and a threat to the continuity of human life. To this end, three models of intergenerational justice are examined — the reciprocity model, the proprietarian model, and the utilitarian model — highlighting their limitations in the face of the contemporary ecological crisis. Based on this critique, the article proposes an alternative conception of responsibility directed not only toward improving the quality of future life but also toward the urgent need to prevent environmental catastrophe and postpone the critical point that could lead to humanity’s collapse. Thus, the fundamental ethical obligation is conceived as a responsibility toward the very existence of humankind, illustrating the moral and psychological challenge of recognizing and acting in the face of the gravity of the climate crisis.