How can we save the world? (with Toby Ord)
Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg
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Supervolcanoes vs. Asteroids: A Risk Analysis
This chapter explores the risks posed by natural phenomena, focusing especially on supervolcanoes like Yellowstone and their significance compared to asteroids. While asteroids are often perceived as major threats due to historical extinctions, the chapter argues that supervolcanoes present a more immediate risk, despite both being statistically unlikely to cause imminent disaster. The conversation also delves into anthropic reasoning and the cosmic context of human existence, questioning how historical catastrophic events have shaped civilization's survival.
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