Generations

Some of the more pressing matters confronting us—as individuals, as communities and as a nation—involve fundamental issues of intergenerational justice. These include caring for aged parents, balancing the rights and well-being of our children with our own rights and well-being, financing Social Security, allocating the costs of our federal budget deficits and our mushrooming national debt, and imposing delayed environmental costs on future generations. Generations develops a theory of intergenerational justice and applies it to these five sets of issues. Since justice between generations will be a reality only if we reach beyond our own age group and affirm the humanity of others, the volume profiles each of the six generations currently living in the United States, drawing upon interviews with members of each generation to give expression to their concerns. The volume concludes with a discussion of the practical difficulties inherent in making justice between generations a reality.

The book is written for general readers and provides useful historical, ethical, and policy analyses of generational issues. It probably fits best in lower-division undergraduate courses, but merits reading by anyone seeking to understand current generations and the challenges they face., The book is written for general readers and provides useful historical, ethical, and policy analyses of generational issues. It probably fits best in lower-division undergraduate courses, but merits reading by anyone seeking to understand current generations and the challenges they face.

Daniel E. Lee is Professor of Ethics at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.