GPI's research agenda
The central focus of GPI is what we call 'global priorities research': research into issues that arise in response to the question, 'What should we do with a given amount of limited resources if our aim is to do the most good?'. This question naturally draws upon central themes in the fields of economics, philosophy and psychology. Browse through GPI's research agenda to find out more.
Our papers
How many lives does the future hold? – Toby Newberry (Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford)
The total number of people who have ever lived, across the entire human past, has been estimated at around 100 billion. The total number of people who will ever live, across the entire human future, is unknown – but not immune to the tools of rational inquiry…
Read MoreHow cost-effective are efforts to detect near-Earth-objects? – Toby Newberry (Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford)
Near-Earth-objects (NEOs) include asteroids and comets with orbits that bring them into close proximity with Earth. NEOs are well-known to have impacted Earth in the past, sometimes to catastrophic effect…
Read MoreDo not go gentle: why the Asymmetry does not support anti-natalism – Andreas Mogensen (Global Priorities Institute, Oxford University)
According to the Asymmetry, adding lives that are not worth living to the population makes the outcome pro tanto worse, but adding lives that are well worth living to the population does not make the outcome pro tanto better. It has been argued that the Asymmetry entails the desirability of human extinction. However, this argument rests on a misunderstanding of the kind of neutrality attributed to the addition of lives worth living by the Asymmetry. A similar misunderstanding is shown to underlie Benatar’s case for anti-natalism.
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