Some of these events (e.g. climate change) could have significant short to medium term effects on all life on earth, but in the long run (after several million years?), I’d argue the impact on non-human animals would likely be negligible, since evolution would eventually find its way. So if this is right and you consider the very long term and value all lives (humans and other animals) equally, wouldn’t strong longtermism imply not doing anything?
If humanity survives, we have a decent shot of reducing suffering in nature and spreading utopia throughout the stars.
If humanity dies, but not all life, and some other species eventually evolves intelligence and then builds civilization, I think they might also have a shot of doing the same thing, but this is more speculative and uncertain, and seems to me to be a much worse bet than betting on humanity (flawed as we are).
TBC, I think it’s more likely that utopia would not look like having animals in the stars. Digital minds seem more likely, but also I think it’s likely just that the future will be really weird, even weirder than digital minds.
If humanity survives, we have a decent shot of reducing suffering in nature and spreading utopia throughout the stars.
If humanity dies, but not all life, and some other species eventually evolves intelligence and then builds civilization, I think they might also have a shot of doing the same thing, but this is more speculative and uncertain, and seems to me to be a much worse bet than betting on humanity (flawed as we are).
Thanks for the comment. I really hadn’t considered colonizing the stars and bringing animals.
TBC, I think it’s more likely that utopia would not look like having animals in the stars. Digital minds seem more likely, but also I think it’s likely just that the future will be really weird, even weirder than digital minds.