Toby Ord is a philosopher at Oxford University, working on the big picture questions facing humanity. His earlier work explored the ethics of global poverty, leading him to make a lifelong pledge to donate 10% of his income to the most effective charities helping improve the world. He created a society, Giving What We Can, for people to join this mission, and together its members have pledged over $1.5 billion. He then broadened these ideas by co-founding the Effective Altruism movement in which thousands of people are using reason and evidence to help the lives of others as much as possible. His current research is on risks that threaten human extinction or the permanent collapse of civilization, and on how to safeguard humanity through these dangers, which he considers to be among the most pressing and neglected issues we face. Toby has advised the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the US National Intelligence Council, and the UK Prime Minister's Office.
"The Precipice is a fascinating book, one that showcases both the
knowledge of its author and his humanity."--Bryan Walsh, Axios
"The Precipice may be the Silent Spring that the futurists have
been waiting for."--Los Angeles Review of Books
"The Precipice separates science from hype and will remain the
definitive work on existential risk for a long time to come."--Max
Tegmark, author of Life 3.0 and Our Mathematical Universe
"A book that seems made for the present moment."--New Yorker
"A fascinating and persuasive guide to the most important topic of
all: how our species will survive the risks we pose to our
continued existence."--Stuart Russell, author of Human Compatible
and Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach
"A powerfully-argued book that alerts us to what is perhaps the
most important-and yet also most neglected-problem we will ever
face."--Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation and The Life You
Can Save
"Many people have recently found that they want to read books
offering the grandest perspectives possible on human existence,
such as Sapiens . . . Toby Ord's new book is a startling and
rigorous contribution to this genre that deserves to be just as
widely read."--Evening Standard
"Ord's analysis of the science is exemplary . . . Thrillingly
written"--Sunday Times
"Ord's map of the existential risk landscape is an engaging read
for anyone who wants to learn more about this important and
interdisciplinary research."--Science
"Splendid....The Precipice is a powerful book, written with a
philosopher's eye for counterarguments so that he can meet them in
advance. And Ord's love for humanity and hope for its future is
infectious, as is his horrified wonder at how close we have come to
destroying it."--The Spectator
"This book is a wake-up call to the existential threats of nuclear
and biological weapons and the urgent need for action. A must-read
that galvanizes us to play a role in addressing these risks."
--Angela Kane, former UN High Representative for Disarmament
Affairs
"Toby Ord is today's Carl Sagan. Clear and inspiring, this book
leaves us hopeful for a flourishing human future."--Christine
Peterson, co-founder of the Foresight Institute
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