Population Principles with Number-Dependent Critical Levels.

Many decisions regarding the choice of public policies affect the size and composition of the population. In order to choose rationally in those situations, therefore, normative criteria must be capable of comparing states of affairs with different populations. This paper introduces a new class of population principles (variable-population social orderings) and compares its members to several earlier suggestions. A characterization of the new principles is provided, and their properties--including their recommendations in choice problems--are examined. Copyright 2002 by Blackwell Publishing Inc.