Author Description

Part One: The Stakes. Introduction -- Standing At The Precipice. How We Got Here -- Where We Might Go -- The Precipice -- Existential Risk. Understanding Existential Risk -- Looking To The Present -- Looking To Our Future -- Looking To Our Past -- Civilization Virtues -- Cosmic Significance -- Uncertainty -- Our Neglect Of Existential Risks -- Part Two: The Risks. Natural Risks. Asteroids & Comets -- Supervolcanic Eruptions -- Stellar Explosions -- Other Natural Risks -- The Total Natural Risk -- Anthropogenic Risks. Nuclear Weapons -- Climate Change -- Environmental Damage -- Future Risks. Pandemics -- Unaligned Artificial Intelligence -- Dystopian Scenarios -- Other Risks -- Part Three: The Path Forward. The Risk Landscape. Quantifying The Risks -- Combining And Comparing Risks -- Risk Factors -- Which Risks? -- Safeguarding Humanity. Grand Strategy For Humanity -- Risks Without Precedent -- International Coordination -- Technological Progress -- Research On Existential Risk -- What You Can Do -- Our Potential. Duration -- Scale -- Quality -- Choices. Toby Ord. First Published In Great Britain 2020--colophon. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 403-443).