Longtermism

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Illustration_of_past,_present_and_future_population_sizes_(Our_World_in_Data)

Longtermism is an ethical stance which emphasizes the importance of positively influencing the long-term future. It is a central concept in the field of effective altruism, which seeks to use evidence and reason to determine the most effective ways to benefit others. Longtermism argues that the moral value of future generations is equal to that of the present generation, and therefore, actions that affect the long-term future should be given significant consideration.

Core Principles

Longtermism is based on several core principles:

• **Future Generations**: The belief that future generations have moral worth and that their well-being should be considered in our decision-making processes.
• **Existential Risk**: The focus on reducing risks that could cause human extinction or permanently and drastically curtail humanity's potential.
• **Sustainable Development**: The promotion of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Key Concepts

• Existential risk: Events or processes that could lead to human extinction or irreversible damage to human civilization.
• Effective altruism: A philosophy and social movement that uses evidence and reason to determine the most effective ways to benefit others.
• Moral philosophy: The branch of philosophy concerned with what is morally good and bad, right and wrong.

Prominent Advocates

Several philosophers and researchers are prominent advocates of longtermism, including:

• Nick Bostrom: A philosopher known for his work on existential risk and the future of humanity.
• Toby Ord: A philosopher and author of "The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity," which discusses the importance of safeguarding the future.
• William MacAskill: A philosopher and one of the founders of the effective altruism movement, who has written extensively on longtermism.

Criticisms

Longtermism has faced several criticisms, including:

• **Neglect of Present Issues**: Critics argue that focusing too much on the future may lead to the neglect of pressing current issues.
• **Speculative Nature**: Some argue that longtermism relies on speculative predictions about the future, which may be uncertain or unreliable.
• **Moral Uncertainty**: There is debate over how to weigh the interests of future generations against those of the present generation.

Related Pages

• Effective altruism
• Existential risk
• Moral philosophy
• Nick Bostrom
• Toby Ord
• William MacAskill

See Also

• Future generations
• Sustainable development
• Ethics