What We Owe the Future by W. MacAskill (HC, pp. 352)

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Hardcover, 352 Pages (3.3cm H x 22.1cm L x 14.99cm W | by William Macaskill

A guide for making the future go better. Humanity’s written history spans only five thousand years. Our yet-unwritten future could last for millions more – or it could end tomorrow. Staggering numbers of people will lead lives of flourishing or misery or never live at all, depending on what we do today.

In What We Owe The Future, philosopher William MacAskill argues for ‘longtermism’: the idea that positively influencing the distant future is a key moral priority of our time. From this perspective, it’s not enough to reverse climate change or avert the next pandemic. We must ensure that civilisation would rebound if it collapsed; and prepare for a planet where the smartest beings are likely to be digital, not human.

If we make wise choices today, our grandchildren’s grandchildren will have a better chance to thrive, and will know we did everything we could to give them a world full of justice, hope, and beauty.

About the Author:
William MacAskill is an associate professor in philosophy at the University of Oxford. At the time of his appointment, he was the youngest associate professor of philosophy in the world. A Forbes 30 Under 30 social entrepreneur, he also cofounded the nonprofits Giving What We Can, the Centre for Effective Altruism, and Y Combinator–backed 80,000 Hours, which together have moved over $200 million to effective charities. He lives in Oxford, England.