Longtermism is the view that positively influencing the long-term future is a key moral priority of our time.^[1]^[2]

A distinction is sometimes drawn between longtermism simpliciter and strong versions of that view.^[3] While allowing that other forms of influence may also be important, strong longtermism holds that positively influencing the long-term future has dominant moral importance. This view has been defended by Hilary Greaves and William MacAskill,^[4] and has precedents in the work of Nick Bostrom,^[5]^[6] Nick Beckstead,^[7]^[8] and others.

Further reading

MacAskill, William, Hilary Greaves & Elliott Thornley (2021) The moral case for long-term thinking, in Natalie Cargill & Tyler John (eds.) The Long View: Essays on Policy, Philanthropy, and the Long-Term Future, London: First, pp. 19–28.

Moorhouse, Fin (2021) Introduction to longtermism, Effective Altruism, January 27.

Todd, Benjamin (2013) How important are future generations?, 80,000 Hours, August 19.

Whittlestone, Jess (2017) The long-term future, Effective Altruism, November 16.

External links

Longtermism. Online introduction and resource compilation on longtermism by Fin Moorhouse.

Related entries

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Ord, Toby (2020) The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity, London: Bloomsbury Publishing, p. 46.
^{^}
MacAskill, William (forthcoming) What We Owe the Future, New York: Basic Books.
^{^}
MacAskill, William (2019) “Longtermism”, Effective Altruism Forum, July 25.
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Greaves, Hilary & William MacAskill (2021) The case for strong longtermism, working paper.
^{^}
Bostrom, Nick (2003) Astronomical waste: The opportunity cost of delayed technological development, Utilitas, vol. 15, pp. 308–314.
^{^}
Bostrom, Nick (2013) Existential risk prevention as global priority, Global Policy, vol. 4, pp. 15–31.
^{^}
Beckstead, Nick (2013) On the Overwhelming Importance of Shaping the Far Future, doctoral thesis, Rutgers University.
^{^}
Beckstead, Nick (2019) A brief argument for the overwhelming importance of shaping the far future, in Hilary Greaves & Theron Pummer (eds.) Effective Altruism: Philosophical Issues, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 80–98.

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