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Current book:
The Precipice: Existential Risk and The Future of Humanity by Toby Ord (https://theprecipice.com)

This week's portions: - Introduction + Chapters 1 through 2:

  • Introduction
  • Standing at The Precipice
  • Existential Risk

What if I join late or skip a week?

We will discuss it over 4 weeks. If you miss a week, feel free to join the following weeks after having read all the way to that weeks portions.

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Why a book-club online?
The book club is a chance for us to dive deeper into the big ideas in science, philosophy, and culture, by discussing the most popular non-fiction books of our time. It is designed to be slow and deliberate to allow us to test our understanding, ask tough questions, have our opinions challenged and build a more robust worldview. It is a deliberate challenge to the passive consumption of junk information encouraged by our technological overlords. We will dwell on each book for weeks, rather than rush through them in hours, and in the process, enjoy some delicious drinks! Due to our new lifestyle, we've started to meet on zoom and it's worked out pretty well so far. To join, see the zoom instructions above. We'll start off with a quick spiel then split everyone up into small 'breakout' groups of 4 or 5 people. We'll switch every 30 mins or so.

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What is this book about?
Humanity stands at a precipice.
Our species could survive for millions of generations — enough time to end disease, poverty, and injustice; to reach new heights of flourishing. But this vast future is at risk. With the advent of nuclear weapons, humanity entered a new age, gaining the power to destroy ourselves, without the wisdom to ensure we won’t. Since then, these dangers have only multiplied, from climate change to engineered pandemics and unaligned artificial intelligence. If we do not act fast to reach a place of safety, it may soon be too late.
The Precipice explores the 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 we can take today to safeguard humanity’s future. More info here: theprecipice.com

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How do I prepare?
Just read the chapters and show up. Attendees are encouraged to read actively (bit.ly/2JXZ7pS) and feel free to post any additional resources you find (especially ones that challenge the author) in the comments.

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Feedback
If you have any suggestions or feedback about this event, we'd really like to hear about it: https://forms.gle/XHAKdLWrpJMrj6HB8

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Donations:
If you'd like to chip in, any amount is greatly appreciated. Here's how:

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