an online book by David Gurteen
Longtermism is a philosophical viewpoint that prioritizes the future consequences of present actions over short-term gains, recognizing the lasting impact our choices have on future generations and the world.
Longtermism is the ethical view that positively influencing the long-term future is a key moral priority of our time. It is an important concept in effective altruism and a primary motivation for efforts that aim to reduce existential risks to humanity.
The key argument for longtermism has been summarized as follows: "future people matter morally just as much as people alive today; ... there may well be more people alive in the future than there are in the present or have been in the past; and ... we can positively affect future peoples' lives." These three ideas taken together suggest, to those advocating longtermism, that it is the responsibility of those living now to ensure that future generations get to survive and flourish.
Credit: Wikipedia - longtermismGurteen Knowledge Blog February 6, 2023, 16:20One of my interests is history, and another is the future. However, these interests are probably not quite what you would think. My first interest is what is referred to as Big History. This type of history is focused on things other than the events of kings and queens, empires, … Continue reading Big History and Big Future What is humanity’s direction?
What Is the Purpose of Humanity ** Introduction: Our Evolutionary Journey Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Longtermism is a philosophy focused on doing the most cumulative good possible from a civilization-scale perspective. It argues we should prioritize reducing existential risks and positively shaping humanity’s long-term potential, as the future contains vast potential value. … Continue reading Longtermism Doing the most good possible from a civilization-scale perspective
Signal-to-noise Ratio Predicting the Future Is a Fools’ Errand ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter I write about nurturing a better world in this blook but better is a value-laden word. Better for who? Even Adolf Hitler thought he was making a better world. So, what do I mean by a better world? … Continue reading What Would Make a Better World? Many things
