Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 86 | Martin Rees on Threats to Humanity, Prospects for Posthumanity, and Life in the Universe
Mar 2, 2020
In this insightful discussion, Martin Rees, Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics and Astronomer Royal, explores existential risks humanity faces, from nuclear threats to artificial intelligence. He emphasizes the importance of addressing low-probability, high-impact scenarios with transparency. Rees also speculates on humanity's evolution and the ethical implications of genetic engineering and consciousness uploading. The conversation touches on the exciting possibilities of extraterrestrial life and the future of human society in a rapidly advancing technological landscape.
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Balancing Risk and Reward
- Quantifying existential risks is difficult, especially extremely unlikely events with catastrophic consequences.
- Consider potential benefits of unlikely events, like scientific breakthroughs solving global problems, when assessing risks.
Hidden Costs of Saying No
- When evaluating extreme risks with low probabilities, consider potential benefits.
- Weighing potential breakthroughs against catastrophic outcomes provides a more balanced perspective.
Existential vs. Catastrophic Risks
- An existential catastrophe, eliminating all humans, is worse than a catastrophe killing 90% of humanity.
- This is because it destroys the potential for future development and life, holding galactic significance if we are the only intelligent species.
