Is the End Nigh? | Émile Torres
· 49 min
Episode Is the End Nigh? | Émile Torres
What is an extinction event?
How have human beings considered extinction in the past? How is the contemporary understanding of human extinction different to the ancient world? And why is it that tech billionaires are so obsessed with it to the extent that they're making the decisions that are more likely to hasten its arrival?
Philosopher of extinction, Émile Torres, has dedicated their life to answering these questions. A former advocate of long-termism, Émile is now one of the most outspoken critics of the dangerous ideologies driving development in Silicon Valley, warning against a vision of utopia which will decimate the planet and upend democratic ideals. In this wide-ranging discussion which pulls much from Émile’s latest book, Human Extinction: A History of the Science and Ethics of Annihilation, we delve into the minds of people like Musk and Bezos through a historical lens, examining how it is that extinction anxiety is driving the most powerful to make dangerous decisions.
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