Existential
risks are ways in which we could screw up badly and permanently.
Interestingly, there is more scholarly work on the life-habits
of the dung fly than on existential risk. (Nick Bostrom)
Being born into
a species that has not been around very long is a dangerous situation
to find oneself in! Not appreciating the danger, and therefore failing
to act against it, may be the biggest danger we face.
(J.
Richard Gott III)
Even non-experts
can see that the risks aren't negligible. In view of how much is at stake,
we have no right to disregard them.
(John Leslie)
Ways of World-Ending
Workshop on existential risks
(human extinction and related hazards)
CEU Department of Philosophy
Budapest, Zrínyi street 14, 4th floor, room 412
26 March 2004