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This book is about long termism, the idea that positively influencing the long term future is a key moral priority of our time. When we do this, at the full scale of human history, the future, where almost everyone lives, and where almost all potential for joy and misery lies, comes to the fore. Ant: Helping people to day does help people to morrow in many ways. We already take account of the people who will come after us.

Philosopher William MacAskill of the University of Oxford and a founder of the effective altruism movement talks about his book What We Owe the Future with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. MacAskill advocates "longtermism," giving great attention to the billions of people who will live on into the future long after we are gone. Topics discussed include the importance of moral entrepreneurs, why it's moral to have children, and the importance of trying to steer the future for better outcomes.