One definition of global priorities research is "research into issues that arise in response to the question, ‘What should we do with a given amount of limited resources if our aim is to do the most good?’"^[1] This can include finding and prioritising between different causes as well as macrostrategy or "foundational" research that would inform cause prioritization in a less direct way (e.g., research into the Fermi paradox or whether we're living at the hinge of history).

Evaluation

80,000 Hours rates global priorities research a "highest priority area": a problem at the top of their ranking of global issues assessed by importance, tractability and neglectedness.^[2]