What existential threats does humanity face? And how can we secure our future?‘The Precipice is a powerful book . . . Ord’s love for humanity and hope for its future is infectious’ Spectator‘Ord’s analysis of the science is exemplary . . . Thrillingly written’ Sunday TimesWe live during the most important era of human history. In the twentieth century, we developed the means to destroy ourselves – without developing the moral framework to ensure we won't. This is the Precipice, and how we respond to it will be the most crucial decision of our time.Oxford moral philosopher Toby Ord explores the risks to humanity's future, from the familiar man-made threats of climate change and nuclear war, to the potentially greater, more unfamiliar threats from engineered pandemics and advanced artificial intelligence.With clear and rigorous thinking, Ord calculates the various risk levels, and shows how our own time fits within the larger story of human history. We can say with certainty that the novel coronavirus does not pose such a risk. But could the next pandemic? And what can we do, in our present moment, to face the risks head on?A major work that brings together the disciplines of physics, biology, earth and computer science, history, anthropology, statistics, international relations, political science and moral philosophy, The Precipice is a call for a new understanding of our age: a major reorientation in the way we see the world, our history, and the role we play in it.
CONTRIBUTORS: Toby OrdEAN: 9781526600233COUNTRY: United KingdomPAGES: WEIGHT: 330 gHEIGHT: 198 cm
PUBLISHED BY: Bloomsbury Publishing PLCDATE PUBLISHED: CITY: GENRE: HISTORY / Military / Nuclear Warfare, MEDICAL / Biotechnology, PHILOSOPHY / Ethics & Moral Philosophy, SCIENCE / Physics / Mathematical & Computational, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Future StudiesWIDTH: 129 cmSPINE:
Book Themes:
Risk assessment, Social forecasting, future studies, Ethics and moral philosophy, Nuclear issues, Biotechnology, Artificial intelligence
Toby Ord is today’s Carl Sagan. Clear and inspiring, this book leaves us hopeful for a flourishing human future, A powerfully argued book that alerts us to what is perhaps the most important – and yet also most neglected – problem we will ever face, The Precipice separates science from hype and will remain the definitive work on existential risk for a long time to come, A fascinating and persuasive guide to the most important topic of all: how our species will survive the risks we pose to our continued existence, This book is a wake-up call to the existential threats of nuclear and biological weapons and the urgent need for action. A must-read that galvanises us to play a role in addressing these risks
Toby Ord is a moral philosopher focusing on the big picture questions facing humanity. Born in Australia, he is a Senior Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University. He is the founder of Giving What We Can and co-founder of the Effective Altruism movement, which has raised more than a hundred million pounds for some of the world’s most deserving causes. In 2020, alongside Shonda Rimes, Kanye West and JK Rowling, he was included on the Financial Times's 'the good list', which highlights the work of the world's ten most inspiring philanthropists. He has also advised DeepMind, the World Health Organisation, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the US National Intelligence Council and the UK Prime Minister’s Office, among others. He lives in Oxford.
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What existential threats does humanity face? And how can we secure our future?‘The Precipice is a powerful book . . . Ord’s love for humanity and hope for its future is infectious’ Spectator‘Ord’s analysis of the science is exemplary . . . Thrillingly written’ Sunday TimesWe live during the most important era of human history. In the twentieth century, we developed the means to destroy ourselves – without developing the moral framework to ensure we won't. This is the Precipice, and how we respond to it will be the most crucial decision of our time.Oxford moral philosopher Toby Ord explores the risks to humanity's future, from the familiar man-made threats of climate change and nuclear war, to the potentially greater, more unfamiliar threats from engineered pandemics and advanced artificial intelligence.With clear and rigorous thinking, Ord calculates the various risk levels, and shows how our own time fits within the larger story of human history. We can say with certainty that the novel coronavirus does not pose such a risk. But could the next pandemic? And what can we do, in our present moment, to face the risks head on?A major work that brings together the disciplines of physics, biology, earth and computer science, history, anthropology, statistics, international relations, political science and moral philosophy, The Precipice is a call for a new understanding of our age: a major reorientation in the way we see the world, our history, and the role we play in it.
CONTRIBUTORS: Toby OrdEAN: 9781526600233COUNTRY: United KingdomPAGES: WEIGHT: 330 gHEIGHT: 198 cm
PUBLISHED BY: Bloomsbury Publishing PLCDATE PUBLISHED: CITY: GENRE: HISTORY / Military / Nuclear Warfare, MEDICAL / Biotechnology, PHILOSOPHY / Ethics & Moral Philosophy, SCIENCE / Physics / Mathematical & Computational, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Future StudiesWIDTH: 129 cmSPINE:
Book Themes:
Risk assessment, Social forecasting, future studies, Ethics and moral philosophy, Nuclear issues, Biotechnology, Artificial intelligence
Toby Ord is a moral philosopher focusing on the big picture questions facing humanity. Born in Australia, he is a Senior Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University. He is the founder of Giving What We Can and co-founder of the Effective Altruism movement, which has raised more than a hundred million pounds for some of the world’s most deserving causes. In 2020, alongside Shonda Rimes, Kanye West and JK Rowling, he was included on the Financial Times's 'the good list', which highlights the work of the world's ten most inspiring philanthropists. He has also advised DeepMind, the World Health Organisation, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the US National Intelligence Council and the UK Prime Minister’s Office, among others. He lives in Oxford.
Bought this for my son, it's absolutely gorgeous! Good quality materials used and the stories are very cute. All the classics are in here and it will definitely tickle any parent's nostalgia.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Being of a similar age to the author, I could totally relate to the era she was raised in. I too, was raised with domestic help and have guilty memories of wishing things were different, even though I was only six.
Lost Property is written with emotion and leaves you lingering with images of a troubled past. Coupled with this is a feeling of hope and courage as issues are addressed. An excellent local read.
Supreme use of the English language in describing sex and culture and how they function together, how they transform and inform our lives. How we are subject to our biological whims, and how culture has attempted to be champion over our bestial nature's. It's truly a spectacular book