On Saturday, June 27, we are revisiting What We Owe the Future, by William MacAskill, in which we consider the author’s challenge, that positively influencing the long term future is a key moral priority of our time. He uses three primary metaphors throughout: (1) Humanity as an imprudent, irresponsible teenager; (2) History as molten glass, which can be blown into many shapes; and (3) The future as a risky expedition into uncharted terrain, for which we'd better prepare ourselves.

The future of our human species could be very short, ending within a few centuries, and/or it could also be extremely long, as the Earth may remain habitable for hundreds of millions of years.  The choices we make now are significant.   The author is concerned about how value systems develop, and their persistence over time.  His overview of the significance of Artificial General Intelligence is  especially interesting, given the rapidity with which this technology is developing, largely unregulated.  

The author states that the values we adopt in this era of plasticity are especially important, and can change the course of history on this planet.  He takes a very long, sometimes disturbing view, discussing collapse of civilizations, resilience and resurgence, showing what we do now, especially, matters very much.

In July:  The Great Transition:  a novel. Nick Fuller Googins

In August:  The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries From a Secret World.  Peter Wohlleben