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The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity by [Toby Ord]

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The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity Kindle Edition

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 852 ratings

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Toby Ord is a philosopher at Oxford University, working on the big picture questions facing humanity. His earlier work explored the ethics of global poverty, leading him to make a lifelong pledge to donate 10% of his income to the most effective charities helping improve the world. He created a society, Giving What We Can, for people to join this mission, and together its members have pledged over $1.5 billion. He then broadened these ideas by co-founding the Effective Altruism movement in which thousands of people are using reason and evidence to help the lives of others as much as possible. His current research is on risks that threaten human extinction or the permanent collapse of civilization, and on how to safeguard humanity through these dangers, which he considers to be among the most pressing and neglected issues we face. Toby has advised the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the US National Intelligence Council, and the UK Prime Minister's Office.

Review

"A book that seems made for the present moment."―New Yorker

"A powerfully-argued book that alerts us to what is perhaps the most important-and yet also most neglected-problem we will ever face."―
Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation and The Life You Can Save

"
The Precipice may be the Silent Spring that the futurists have been waiting for."―Los Angeles Review of Books

"
The Precipice separates science from hype and will remain the definitive work on existential risk for a long time to come."―Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0 and Our Mathematical Universe

"The Precipice is a fascinating book, one that showcases both the knowledge of its author and his humanity."―Bryan Walsh, Axios

"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 galvanizes us to play a role in addressing these risks."
Angela Kane, former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

"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."―
Stuart Russell, author of Human Compatible and Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach

"Toby Ord is today's Carl Sagan. Clear and inspiring, this book leaves us hopeful for a flourishing human future."―
Christine Peterson, co-founder of the Foresight Institute

"Splendid....
The Precipice is a powerful book, written with a philosopher's eye for counterarguments so that he can meet them in advance. And Ord's love for humanity and hope for its future is infectious, as is his horrified wonder at how close we have come to destroying it."―The Spectator

"Many people have recently found that they want to read books offering the grandest perspectives possible on human existence, such as
Sapiens . . . Toby Ord's new book is a startling and rigorous contribution to this genre that deserves to be just as widely read."―Evening Standard

"Ord's map of the existential risk landscape is an engaging read for anyone who wants to learn more about this important and interdisciplinary research."―
Science

"Ord's analysis of the science is exemplary . . . Thrillingly written"―
Sunday Times --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07V9GHKYP
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hachette Books; Illustrated edition (March 24, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 24, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6238 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 852 ratings

About the author

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Toby Ord is a philosopher at Oxford University, working on the big picture questions facing humanity. His earlier work explored the ethics of global poverty, leading him to make a lifelong pledge to donate 10% of his income to the most effective charities helping improve the world. He created a society, Giving What We Can, for people to join this mission, and together its members have pledged over $1.5 billion. He then broadened these ideas by co-founding the Effective Altruism movement in which thousands of people are using reason and evidence to help the lives of others as much as possible.

His current research is on risks that threaten human extinction or the permanent collapse of civilization, and on how to safeguard humanity through these dangers, which he considers to be among the most pressing and neglected issues we face. In his new book, The Precipice, he explains the risks we face, the stakes for humanity, and how we can find a path forward. Toby has advised the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the US National Intelligence Council, and the UK Prime Minister's Office.

tobyord.com

theprecipice.com

givingwhatwecan.org

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
852 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 9, 2022
11 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 27, 2020
21 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 25, 2020
8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Barry
5.0 out of 5 stars Infinity
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on July 30, 2020
3 people found this helpful
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ひがしかぜ
4.0 out of 5 stars 人類は素晴らしいものであるはずだ。だから如何なる危機も乗り越えねば...という思想
Reviewed in Japan 🇯🇵 on August 24, 2020
4 people found this helpful
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Michael H.
5.0 out of 5 stars 1 in 6 chance of human extinction
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on March 6, 2020
One person found this helpful
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Wayne Christensen
5.0 out of 5 stars Know your risks and where the precipice may be.
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on June 4, 2020
3 people found this helpful
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Mr. G. Lawrence
3.0 out of 5 stars Not necessarily "essential reading", even if sometimes interesting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 23, 2020
27 people found this helpful
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