Human Extinction

by Émile P. Torres

This volume traces the origins and evolution of the idea of human extinction, from the ancient Presocratics through contemporary work on "existential risks." Many leading intellectuals agree that the risk of human extinction this century may be higher than at any point in our 300,000-year history as a species. This book provides insight on the key questions that inform this discussion, including when humans began to worry about their own extinction and how the debate has changed over time. It establishes a new theoretical foundation for thinking about the ethics of our extinction, arguing that extinction would be very bad under most circumstances, although the outcome might be, on balance, good. Throughout the book, graphs, tables, and images further illustrate how human choices and attitudes about extinction have evolved in Western history. In its thorough examination of humanity’s past, this book also provides a starting point for understanding our future. Although accessible enough to be read by undergraduates, Human Extinction contains new and thought-provoking research that will benefit even established academic philosophers and historians.

Genres: Artificial Intelligence, Nonfiction, Philosophy

542 pages, Hardcover

Published July 14, 2023

About the author

Émile P. Torres (formerly known as Phil Torres) is an American philosopher, intellectual historian, author, activist, and postdoctoral researcher at Case Western Reserve University. Their research focuses on eschatology, existential risk, and human extinction. Along with computer scientist Timnit Gebru, Torres coined the acronym neologism "TESCREAL" to criticize what they see as a group of related philosophies: transhumanism, extropianism, singularitarianism, cosmism, rationalism, effective altruism, and longtermism.


Education

2023-2024 Postdoc, Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence, Case Western Reserve University

2020-2023 PhD, Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, Leibniz Universität Hannover
Dissertation title: Human Extinction: A History of the Science and Ethics of Annihilation, published by Routledge on July 14, 2023, in their “History of Science, Technology, and Medicine” series
Supervisors: Mathias Frisch and Ralf Stoecker

2008-2009 Special Student, Department of Philosophy, Harvard University (4.0 GPA)

2007-2009 MS, Neuroscience, Biology Department, Brandeis University (3.6 GPA)

2005-2007 BA, Philosophy (with Honors), Department of Philosophy, University of Maryland, College Park (4.0 GPA in Major: Philosophy) Schlaretzki Prize for “most outstanding” graduating senior

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