Pizza, Philosophy and Science: Longtermism

On Januray 25th, we will discuss with Stefan Riedener different aspects of longtermism - a concept of effective altruism. To decide which ist the best action to take we usually consider the effects of our actions on the short- or medium-term future – whether we save someone’s life, or mitigate sexism or racism in the next generation. According to longtermism that is wildly mistaken. The value of our actions is determined almost exclusively by their effects on the future in the very long-run – the next millions and billions of years. Their effects on the next 100 or even 1000 years are just about irrelevant. Our everyday thinking is radically short-sighted, and common evaluations perhaps dramatically wrong. In this PPS, we will look at a compelling justification for longtermism, at its historical roots, and some of its practical implications – e.g. concerning existential risks, or the idea that our time might be the most important in the history of humanity.

The discussion will be moderated by Jessica Fenger.

We will meet in a Discord channel. Details will be provided after inscription.

Language: English

Date and time: 25 January 2021, 18:30 - 20:30

Fees: The online PPS are free to attend. However, we are happy to accept donations.

Registration: Please register using the form below until January 23rd. Participation is limited to 35 people.