The Future is Already Here: How the Tenseless Theory of Time Grounds Our Obligations to Future Generations

This article explores the ethical foundations of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which represent a global consensus on human and ecological well-being but lack a clear moral framework justifying obligations to future generations. I argue that the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights supports the notion of temporal justice and underpins SDGs. Although some philosophers contend that future generations cannot possess moral standing, a comprehensive understanding of the metaphysics of time demonstrates that they exist (tenselessly) as surely as we do. The primary barriers to protecting their interests are political and epistemic in nature, necessitating thoughtful institutional design.