Executive summary: The post argues that settling outer space can significantly reduce the risk of human extinction, contrary to David Thorstad’s claims that the proliferation of existential risks reduces the expected value of addressing them through longtermist efforts.
Key points:
Spreading to other planets would make interplanetary conflict difficult and pointless, reducing the physical vulnerability of space settlements.
While information risks like misaligned AI could still spread between settlements, some settlements might deliberately isolate themselves to preserve humanity from such risks.
If even a minority of settlements survive in isolation or a low-tech state, there could still be a “big long-term future” for humanity.
The author acknowledges that space settlement efforts could also create new existential risks, but suggests the possibilities of successful space settlements deserve more consideration than Thorstad gives them.
The author plans to further address Thorstad’s arguments and the broader challenge of existential risks in a future post.
The author’s key crux is whether interstellar “death rays” are a feasible threat to widespread space settlements.
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Executive summary: The post argues that settling outer space can significantly reduce the risk of human extinction, contrary to David Thorstad’s claims that the proliferation of existential risks reduces the expected value of addressing them through longtermist efforts.
Key points:
Spreading to other planets would make interplanetary conflict difficult and pointless, reducing the physical vulnerability of space settlements.
While information risks like misaligned AI could still spread between settlements, some settlements might deliberately isolate themselves to preserve humanity from such risks.
If even a minority of settlements survive in isolation or a low-tech state, there could still be a “big long-term future” for humanity.
The author acknowledges that space settlement efforts could also create new existential risks, but suggests the possibilities of successful space settlements deserve more consideration than Thorstad gives them.
The author plans to further address Thorstad’s arguments and the broader challenge of existential risks in a future post.
The author’s key crux is whether interstellar “death rays” are a feasible threat to widespread space settlements.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.