Episode
#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
1:39:33
Published: Sat Aug 13 2022
Description
Will MacAskill is a philosopher, ethicist, and one of the originators of the Effective Altruism movement. Humans understand that long term thinking is a good idea, that we need to provide a good place for future generations to live. We try to leave the world better than when we arrived for this very reason. But what about the world in one hundred thousand years? Or 8 billion? If there's trillions of human lives still to come, how should that change the way we act right now? Expect to learn why we're living through a particularly crucial time in the history of the future, the dangers of locking in any set of values, how to avoid the future being ruled by a malevolent dictator, whether the world has too many or too few people on it, how likely a global civilisational collapse is, why technological stagnation is a death sentence and much more... Sponsors: Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours at https://www.drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Get 20% discount on the highest quality CBD Products from Pure Sport at https://bit.ly/cbdwisdom (use code: MW20) Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D and Free Shipping from Athletic Greens at https://athleticgreens.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Extra Stuff: Buy What We Owe The Future - https://amzn.to/3PDqghm Check out Effective Altruism - https://www.effectivealtruism.org/ Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/
Chapters
In this podcast, Will and Garry discuss the importance of long-term thinking and why we need to avoid locking in any set of values for a successful future.
00:00 - 06:14 (06:14)
Summary
In this podcast, Will and Garry discuss the importance of long-term thinking and why we need to avoid locking in any set of values for a successful future. They also talk about the dangers of a future ruled by a malevolent dictator, the optimal population of the planet, and the possibility of global civilizational collapse.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
Thinking long-term means taking the interests of future generations seriously and considering the impact of events on humanity's course.
06:14 - 15:14 (08:59)
Summary
Thinking long-term means taking the interests of future generations seriously and considering the impact of events on humanity's course. By taking risks to benefit future generations, we can create a safer world for the next generation and have an enormous impact on the course of all future generations.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The power of compound growth means that even a small rate of economic growth can lead to massive expansion in the far-off future.
15:14 - 21:14 (05:59)
Summary
The power of compound growth means that even a small rate of economic growth can lead to massive expansion in the far-off future. This creates opportunities for competition between values and ideas, but also the risk of dangerous technologies being developed.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The idea of changing moral views over time is important as it can help in incorporating good arguments, empathy towards others and different moral considerations.
21:14 - 28:31 (07:17)
Summary
The idea of changing moral views over time is important as it can help in incorporating good arguments, empathy towards others and different moral considerations. However, it can be a challenge as often set moral ideologies try to resist change.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The adoption of a universal culture does not necessarily mean that it is the best solution, as it eliminates the pressure to change from it.
28:31 - 37:49 (09:17)
Summary
The adoption of a universal culture does not necessarily mean that it is the best solution, as it eliminates the pressure to change from it. An example is the use of 'woke' being adopted by both the left and the right and creates a divide in society.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The fragile nature of liberal democracy lies in its vibrancy of debate and discussion, which is necessary for driving moral progress.
37:49 - 47:42 (09:53)
Summary
The fragile nature of liberal democracy lies in its vibrancy of debate and discussion, which is necessary for driving moral progress. Therefore, solutions that involve an undemocratic civilization to monitor behavior are not preferable for reducing the risk of extinction.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The risk of extinction due to population growth is small compared to other factors such as nuclear weapons, but it is still a consideration to be aware of.
47:42 - 55:18 (07:35)
Summary
The risk of extinction due to population growth is small compared to other factors such as nuclear weapons, but it is still a consideration to be aware of. The podcast discusses the potential impact of having more people on the planet on the risks of extinction.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The risk of technological progress accumulating over time and causing negative externalities highlights the need for measured navigation through times of heightened existential risk.
55:18 - 1:00:09 (04:51)
Summary
The risk of technological progress accumulating over time and causing negative externalities highlights the need for measured navigation through times of heightened existential risk. This includes recognizing the need for both defensive and offensive technologies to protect against potential risks while also promoting technological progress.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The conversation about the future of humanity has been almost entirely focused on climate change, but there are other existential risks worth considering.
1:00:09 - 1:08:18 (08:09)
Summary
The conversation about the future of humanity has been almost entirely focused on climate change, but there are other existential risks worth considering. However, any conversation that detracts from climate change is seen as heretical, which can lead to a dangerous value lock-in.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The process of change takes time, and it is important to understand that when it comes to technological advancements and progress.
1:08:18 - 1:18:11 (09:52)
Summary
The process of change takes time, and it is important to understand that when it comes to technological advancements and progress.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker discusses the importance of preserving resources, such as a coal mine, to ensure that they are available in case of a societal collapse, and highlights how this can be viewed as a backup for civilization.
1:18:12 - 1:24:05 (05:53)
Summary
The speaker discusses the importance of preserving resources, such as a coal mine, to ensure that they are available in case of a societal collapse, and highlights how this can be viewed as a backup for civilization.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker argues that moral progress should receive the same emphasis as technological progress and highlights the importance of a morally exploratory society.
1:24:05 - 1:36:03 (11:57)
Summary
The speaker argues that moral progress should receive the same emphasis as technological progress and highlights the importance of a morally exploratory society.
Episode#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
PodcastModern Wisdom
This podcast offers free career advice online to help people make the best career decisions that will make the biggest impact on issues that impact the long-term future and help build a better world for future generations.
1:36:04 - 1:39:29 (03:25)
Summary
This podcast offers free career advice online to help people make the best career decisions that will make the biggest impact on issues that impact the long-term future and help build a better world for future generations. However, the transcript includes an ad at the end for two different products: CBDWisdom and Athletic Greens.