Existential risk - Definition and Overview

In futurology, an existential risk is a risk that is both global and terminal. Nick Bostrom defines an existential risk as a risk "where an adverse outcome would either annihilate Earth-originating intelligent life or permanently and drastically curtail its potential." The term is frequently used in transhumanist and Singularitarian communities to describe disaster scenarios caused by non-Friendly superintelligence, misuse of molecular nanotechnology, or other sources of danger.

External links

Organizations formed to prevent existential risks

• The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (http://www.crnano.org/)
• The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence (http://www.singinst.org/)

Essays

• Existential Risks: Analyzing Human Extinction Scenarios (http://www.nickbostrom.com/existential/risks.html) -- The original essay by Nick Bostrom analysing existential risk scenarios
• Immortalist Utilitarianism (http://www.acceleratingfuture.com/michael/works/immethics.htm) -- An essay written by Michael Anissimov, the fifth section of which concerns existential risks

Example Usage of Existential