Hondana
Home
Discover
Search
Report
Book Info
Philosophy
What We Owe The Future
By William MacAskill
Simon and Schuster
Description
The challenges we face are enormous. But we can still secure a positive future for our planet, and for everyone on it.
In What We Owe The Future, philosopher William MacAskill persuasively argues for longtermism, the idea that positively influencing the distant future is a moral priority of our time. It isn’t enough to mitigate climate change or avert the next pandemic. We can ensure that civilization would rebound if it collapsed; cultivate value pluralism; and prepare for a planet where the most sophisticated beings are digital and not human.
'Unapologetically optimistic and bracingly realistic, this is the most inspiring book on ‘ethical living’ I’ve ever read.' Oliver Burkeman, Guardian
‘A monumental event.' Rutger Bregman, author of Humankind
‘A book of great daring, clarity, insight and imagination. To be simultaneously so realistic and so optimistic, and always so damn readable… well that is a miracle for which he should be greatly applauded.’ Stephen Fry
In What We Owe The Future, philosopher William MacAskill persuasively argues for longtermism, the idea that positively influencing the distant future is a moral priority of our time. It isn’t enough to mitigate climate change or avert the next pandemic. We can ensure that civilization would rebound if it collapsed; cultivate value pluralism; and prepare for a planet where the most sophisticated beings are digital and not human.
'Unapologetically optimistic and bracingly realistic, this is the most inspiring book on ‘ethical living’ I’ve ever read.' Oliver Burkeman, Guardian
‘A monumental event.' Rutger Bregman, author of Humankind
‘A book of great daring, clarity, insight and imagination. To be simultaneously so realistic and so optimistic, and always so damn readable… well that is a miracle for which he should be greatly applauded.’ Stephen Fry
Summary by AI
What We Owe The Future by William MacAskill
Author's Background: William MacAskill is a philosopher and ethicist at the University of Oxford. He is the co-founder of the effective altruism movement.
Main Theme: We have a moral obligation to future generations to ensure their well-being.
Key Points:
- We should consider the interests of future people as seriously as we consider the interests of present people.
- We have a duty to act in ways that will benefit future generations, even if it means sacrificing some of our own interests.
- We should invest in research and development that will improve the lives of future people.
- We should reduce our consumption of resources so that future generations will have enough to meet their needs.
Reputation:
- Positive: The book has been praised for its clear and concise writing, its rigorous argumentation, and its important message.
- Negative: Some critics have argued that the book is too optimistic about the future and that it ignores the challenges that we face in achieving a better world.
Who Should Read It:
- Anyone who is interested in the future of humanity
- Anyone who is concerned about the well-being of future generations
- Anyone who is interested in effective altruism
