

#354
Mentioned in 46 episodes
What We Owe the Future
Book • 2022
In this book, William MacAskill advocates for longtermism, the idea that positively influencing the long-term future is a key moral priority.
He argues that future people count, there could be many of them, and we can make their lives better.
MacAskill discusses various threats to humanity, including climate change, AI misalignment, and pandemics, and proposes strategies to ensure civilization's survival and improve its trajectory.
The book explores moral and philosophical issues surrounding longtermism, including the risks of human extinction, civilizational collapse, and technological stagnation, while offering a measured optimism about the future's potential for human flourishing.
He argues that future people count, there could be many of them, and we can make their lives better.
MacAskill discusses various threats to humanity, including climate change, AI misalignment, and pandemics, and proposes strategies to ensure civilization's survival and improve its trajectory.
The book explores moral and philosophical issues surrounding longtermism, including the risks of human extinction, civilizational collapse, and technological stagnation, while offering a measured optimism about the future's potential for human flourishing.
Mentioned by























Mentioned in 46 episodes
Mentioned by 

as the book that spread long-termism ideas more widely.


Tim Harford

184 snips
Grand Theft Automated: How to Save a Trillion Lives
Mentioned by 

as his new book on existential risks and the long-term future.


William MacAskill

181 snips
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Mentioned by 

as a new book about the idea of what are the things that we can do right now that will help impact future generations disproportionately highly?


Ali Abdaal

140 snips
Moral Philosopher Will MacAskill on What We Owe The Future
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as a forthcoming book arguing for getting off fossil fuels so there's some left for descendants.

Luisa Rodriguez

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as a wonderful book and the topic of their discussion.


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Mentioned by 

; he interviewed MacAskill on the podcast, discussing philosophy, altruism, and philanthropy.


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77 snips
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Mentioned by 

as books written by Will McCaskill.


Sam Harris

73 snips
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Mentioned by the podcast host as one of 

's books.


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66 snips
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Recommended by 

as a book about long-termism and its importance in doing good.


Ryan Holiday

42 snips
Will MacAskill on Creating Lasting Change
Mentioned by 

in reference to his argument about the fragility of values and the abolition of slavery.


Rob Wiblin

36 snips
#145 – Christopher Brown on why slavery abolition wasn't inevitable
Mentioned by 

as containing examples from history of attempts to lock in values and institutions.


Will MacAskill

35 snips
Highlights: #213 – Will MacAskill on AI causing a “century in a decade” — and how we’re completely unprepared
Mentioned by 

as a guide to making the future better for future generations.


Jodi Kantor

35 snips
The Rise of Workplace Surveillance
Mentioned by 

as a book that complements Toby Ord's 'The Precipice'.


Chris Williamson

32 snips
#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
Mentioned by 

himself as his own book.


Will MacAskill

32 snips
#512 - Will MacAskill - How Long Could Humanity Continue For?
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

, discussing his review of the book and its implications for AI safety.

Erik Hoel

31 snips
#305 — Moral Knowledge
Mentioned by 

as the new book by Will MacAskill.


Tim Ferriss

28 snips
#623: In Case You Missed It: August 2022 Recap of "The Tim Ferriss Show"
Mentioned by Emil Torres, discussing his book on longtermism.

28 snips
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Mentioned in the podcast as a guide to making the future better for future generations.

27 snips
Inside the Adolescent Mental Health Crisis
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

when comparing it to his own book.

Brad DeLong

26 snips
209 | Brad DeLong on Why the 20th Century Fell Short of Utopia