The Precipice
Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity
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The Precipice
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Narrated by:
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Toby Ord
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Written by:
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Toby Ord
About this listen
This urgent and eye-opening book makes the case that protecting humanity's future is the central challenge of our time.
If all goes well, human history is just beginning. Our species could survive for billions of years - enough time to end disease, poverty, and injustice, and to flourish in ways unimaginable today. But this vast future is at risk. With the advent of nuclear weapons, humanity entered a new age, where we face existential catastrophes - those from which we could never come back. Since then, these dangers have only multiplied, from climate change to engineered pathogens and artificial intelligence. If we do not act fast to reach a place of safety, it will soon be too late.
Drawing on over a decade of research, The Precipice explores the cutting-edge science behind the risks we face. It puts them in the context of the greater story of humanity: showing how ending these risks is among the most pressing moral issues of our time. And it points the way forward, to the actions and strategies that can safeguard humanity.
An Oxford philosopher committed to putting ideas into action, Toby Ord has advised the US National Intelligence Council, the UK Prime Minister's Office, and the World Bank on the biggest questions facing humanity. In The Precipice, he offers a startling reassessment of human history, the future we are failing to protect, and the steps we must take to ensure that our generation is not the last.
©2020 Toby Ord (P)2020 Recorded BooksWhat listeners say about The Precipice
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul E Godman
- 2021-06-09
Eye opening and beautifully written
An eye opening and beautifully written book that illuminates the genius and risks of being human. Highly recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hypatia from Space
- 2025-01-25
Perspective changing
This book changes the time frame in which you think of humanity and it's future and potential.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2022-08-19
Eye Opening
Really gives you a sense of how important it is for us to get our act together as a species and get over all of our preconceptions to build a better world for the future of humanity.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Allan
- 2020-05-12
Excellent assessment of humanity's greatest risks
The author does an excellent job explaining the major existential risks to humanity and offers solutions and actionable steps people can make at all levels of involvement.
We have a lot of power but we often lack the wisdom to use it well. I would go so far as to say that this should be mandatory reading for anyone involved in making decisions that impact humanity at large.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian
- 2020-08-13
Essential reading
A fantastic discussion and deep dive into risk and humanity. Inspiring, humbling. A must read for the modern era. The chapter on pandemics is...eerily accurate.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JAY GEE
- 2024-08-11
2 thumbs up!
thank you chris williamson for another amazing book recommendation! this book is worth every minute it takes to listen to it, and every dollar it takes to buy it. this is an amazing book. check it out!
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Keith Kuspira
- 2023-10-23
Agree on the problem; solutions are terrible
I believe the author has done a decent job in capturing the essence of the tragedy of the commons and how we likely are already on or even already over the precipice, I just can't get over his pathetic deference to global governance as the solution to all our woes.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Daryl K.
- 2025-07-10
Not much here to take away and run with.
I don't feel any need, after hearing the whole case, to fund this person to
Not have any great plans but great ambitions for the next hundreds of
Billions of years if humanity. Snag is that most of us are appropriately worried about
Tomorrow's problems not being solved today. Given that barrier, vagaries about hundreds of
Billions of years hence aren't very
Compelling.
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