[ExI] Planetary defense

Natasha Vita-More natasha at natasha.cc
Fri May 6 13:23:33 UTC 2011


 
Anders wrote:

natasha at natasha.cc wrote:
>
> New phrasing: Human Extinction Risk is a better phrase than 
> Existential Risk.

"While it makes the term immediately understandable to most people it also
misses a lot of important disaster types. The 1984 scenario of a boot
stamping on a face forever is not extinction, yet I think it deserves to be
regarded in the same category of transgenerational and terminal risks."

Hi Anders, the details of this is not my are of expertise. But I think Amara
and Spike are correct in their responses. Association means a lot.

I could be wrong, but I think that the primary reason many in our community
has latched on so tightly to "Existential Risk" is because Nick Bostrom
borrowed it for his writings and many in people community followed. I don't
know if there was ever a discussion about the phrasing and associations,
etc.

Regarding associations: the 1984 scenario of boot stamping of George Orwell,
I see existentialism and risk, but not existential risk.  Anyway, its
fiction and existence is fact.

Now, I'm going to gracefully bow out of this discussion because I will only
paint myself in a corner and come of as stupid.

Max, can you take it from here?  This is your area of expertise.

Best,
Natasha




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