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Topic archive: Future generations & longtermism
Longtermism is an emerging school of thought according to which approaches to improving the world should be evaluated mainly in terms of their potential long-term impact, over thousands, millions, or even billions of years.
In other words, the question “How can I have a positive impact?” should mostly be replaced with “How can I best make the very long-term future go well?”
We think future generations clearly matter, and impartial concern most likely implies their interests matter as much as anyone’s.
Selected highlights
The case for reducing existential risks
Article by Benjamin Todd · Last updated June 2022 · First published October 2017
This could be the most important century
Article by Robert Wiblin · Published September 2021
All articles tagged "Future generations & longtermism"
2023
August
May
- Advanced series: our most important and novel research on what makes for a high-impact career (First published)ArticleThe 80,000 Hours Podcast on Artificial Intelligence and related topics (First published)ArticleMarch
- ArticleWhat is social impact? A definition (Updated)Article
2022
August- Article
June- The case for reducing existential risks (Updated)Article
March2021
October- SeptemberMarch
- Advanced series: our most important and novel research on what makes for a high-impact career (Updated)Article
2020
December- Effective Altruism: An Introduction — ten curated episodes from The 80,000 Hours Podcast (First published)Article
2017
October- August
- Article
July- Is it fair to say that most social programmes don’t work? (First published)Article
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