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What We Owe The Future

The Sunday Times Bestseller
3.82 goodreads logo

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( 6,330 ratings, 784 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In What We Owe The Future, William MacAskill explores the ethical considerations and long-term impact of our decisions on future generations. The book delves into how present actions can shape future societies, urging readers to consider their responsibilities in creating a better world. MacAskill blends philosophy and psychology to address the importance of prioritising the well-being of those to come.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by ideas about long-termism and the impact we can have on future generations. It explores philosophical and psychological perspectives on how our decisions today can shape the world for centuries, offering a fascinating exploration of ethical responsibility and forward-thinking.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Should our priorities change when we consider allΒ the lives yet to come?

How does morality change when we consider all the people who have not yet been born?

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

We are remarkably early in the story of human civilisation.

We are still five hundred million years away from the sterilisation of the Earth by the Sun, and one hundred trillion years away from the dying of the last stars. Leaving a shard of broken glass on the ground may harm someone tomorrow or one hundred thousand years hence. Our duty of care to each of those individuals is the same.

Positively influencing the long-term future is a key moral priority of our time. This is the idea fuelling a burgeoning movement of longtermist thinkers: it explains why Elon Musk is trying to colonise Mars and why Jeff Bezos spent $42 million on a clock that will last 10,000 years.

Yet future peoples are completely disenfranchisedβ€”they can't lobby or vote for change. As we lock in today the global values and systems that will outlast us by eons, let's not forget the many left to come whose quality of life is in our hands.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

What We Owe The Future by William MacAskill has been acclaimed for its exploration of "longtermism," emphasising the moral priority of influencing the future positively. The book is praised for its daring insights, creativity, and readability while maintaining an optimistic yet realistic perspective. It has been described as pivotal in reshaping ethical considerations, frequently cited as inspiring and profoundly thought-provoking.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780861542505

Publisher: Oneworld Publications

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 September 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oneworld Publications

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 352

About the Author

William MacAskillΒ is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Oxford University. His academic work spans a breadth of fields within normative philosophy, including practical ethics, population ethics, social choice theory and decision theory. At age 28, he became the youngest tenured professor of philosophy in the world. MacAskill is the cofounder of Giving What We Can, 80,000 Hours, the Centre for Effective Altruism and the Oxford University-based Global Priorities Institute. He’s recognised as a World Economic Forum Young Global Shaper and a Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur.

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