Definition
Longtermism is the ethical view that positively influencing the long-term future is a key moral priority of our time. It is based on the recognition that future generations matter just as much as people alive today, and that the sheer scale of the potential future makes our impact on it of paramount importance.
Why It Matters
Longtermism forces us to reckon with the ‘moral weights’ of trillions of future lives; ignoring the long-term consequences of our current actions risks the permanent destruction of human potential for the sake of transient, short-term gains.
Core Concepts
- Three Core Premises:
- Future People Count: Moral status is not dependent on a person’s location in space or time. A person born in 100 years has the same moral worth as a person born today.
- The Future is Vast: If we don’t go extinct, there could be trillions of future lives. Humanity is in its early infancy (the “Imprudent Teenager” stage).
- We Can Influence the Future: Our current actions (technological development, value-loading, risk mitigation) can predictably steer the trajectory of civilisation for millions of years.
- Trajectory Changes vs. Survival: Longtermism focuses on both ensuring humanity survives (existential risk mitigation) and ensuring that the future we create is worth living (value alignment and moral expansion).
- The Silence of the Future: Future generations are the most disenfranchised group in history; they cannot vote, lobby, or protest current decisions that will affect their entire existence.