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Effectively Addressing Climate Change
zepedad5y1
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So the destruction of property we can come out against, but what about other civil disobedience/arguably illegal actions? For instance, every example given in my post minus Ruby & Jessica’s actions. To add another example to that list, the truancy currently being practiced by an increasing number of children throughout the world until we achieve better climate policy.

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Open Thread #41
zepedad6y0
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Possibly Highly Effective Ways to Address Climate Change

This thread by Josh Busby gives plenty of examples—

http://twitter.com/busbyj2/status/1038269431439388672

Skip the commentary I’ll add on after this sentence and just read that thread if you’re trying to save time.

As this article (https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/29/local-climate-efforts-wont-undo-trump-inaction?__twitter_impression=true) makes clear, local actions to address climate change that do not scale up to the national or higher level are just feel-good nothingburgers. It’s poss... (read more)

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Open Thread #40
zepedad6y0
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Animal v. Human Prioritization

Hi all,

A person involved with EA said I should get involved with the forum, so here I am.

Here is/are my question(s).

1) Is (and should) morality be based on a combination of biology and strict logical induction?

If yes to 1), then here’s my deal.

I have a preference for valuing human life over animal life. However, if some animal species are more likely to live longer than the human species will, then would I be doing more good by prioritizing helping those animals out first and foremost?

This article— https://www.theatlantic.com/... (read more)

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Open Thread #39
zepedad6y1
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Hi.

Given recent absurd temperatures in the Arctic, I've never been less sure than I am now that the human species even can avoid an early and untimely death. For that reason, I am now also interested in continuing the human legacy, once humans as we know them today have disappeared. I assume that no intelligent species exists aside from what we are aware of here on Earth. For the endeavors of the human species to continue after we expire, we need to make sure ourselves that the closest thing to human endeavor continues, and not pin our hopes on something t... (read more)

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Michael_Wulfsohn
6y
Ok, so you're talking about a scenario where humans cease to exist, and other intelligent entities don't exist or don't find Earth, but where there is still value in certain things being done in our absence. I think the answer depends on what you think is valuable in that scenario, which you don't define. Are the "best things" safeguarding other species, or keeping the earth at a certain temperature? But this is all quite pessimistic. Achieving this sort of aim seems like a second best outcome, compared to humanity's survival. For example, if earth becomes uninhabitable, colonisation of other planets is extremely good. Perhaps you could do more good by helping humans to move beyond earth, or to become highly resilient to environmental conditions? Surely the best way to ensure that human goals are met is to ensure that at least a few humans survive. Anyway, going with your actual question, how you should pursue it really depends on your situation, skill set, finances, etc, as well as your values. The philosophical task of determining what should be done if we don't survive is one potential. (By the way, who should get to decide on that?) Robotics and AI seem like another, based on the examples you gave. Whatever you decide, I'd suggest keeping the flexibility to change course later, e.g. by learning transferrable skills, in case you change your mind about what you think is important.
How much attention does climate change warrant? A Conversation with Climate Scientist and Energy Technology and Public Policy Expert David Keith
zepedad9y0
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Wouldn't the optimal outcome come about from activism led by at least semi-calculated movements? That being said, I understand the concern. There are perhaps not enough boots on the ground right now to the point where the necessity for actions might be higher than it is for analysis. I'll go see what this site has to say about starting movements and then see what I can do from there. : )

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