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Existential hope refers to the prospect of transformative developments that significantly enhance humanity's potential. It serves as a conceptual counterpart to existential risk, which denotes threats that could lead to human extinction or irrevocably limit humanity's future possibilities.
Definition and origin
[edit]The term "existential hope" was introduced by researchers Owen Cotton-Barratt and Toby Ord in a 2015 report from the Future of Humanity Institute.[1] They described it as "the chance of something extremely good happening," and proposed the concept of an "existential eucatastrophe"—an event that increases humanity's long-term expected value to a large degree.[1]
Contemporary usage
[edit]Since its introduction, the concept of existential hope has been explored by scholars and institutions involved in futures studies, technological ethics, and longtermist strategy. The nonprofit Foresight Institute introduced a project titled "Existential Hope," which curates resources and discussions focused on envisioning highly positive long-term futures.[2]
Science journalist Richard Fisher has discussed the concept in the context of long-term thinking. In an article for Big Think, he argues that existential hope involves preparing for opportunities to improve the world, rather than utopian idealism.[3]
In academic literature, anthropologist Beth Singler has analyzed existential hope and existential despair as narrative frameworks in transhumanist and AI-apocalyptic discourse, emphasizing their cultural and psychological significance.[4]
In 2025, Cambridge University researcher Simon Beard published a monograph on the topic, arguing that existential hope is essential for fostering long-term human flourishing in the face of global risks.[5]
Related terms
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Cotton-Barratt, Owen; Ord, Toby (2015). "Existential Risk and Existential Hope: Definitions" (PDF). Future of Humanity Institute. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ^ Moore, Doug. "Feeling grim about the future? ExistentialHope.com offers reasons for rational optimism." Clearer Thinking, 2018.
- ^ Fisher, Richard. "Existential hope: How we can embrace deep time and create the brightest of futures." Big Think, 2023.
- ^ Singler, Beth. "Existential Hope and Existential Despair in AI Apocalypticism and Transhumanism." Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science, vol. 54, no. 1, 2019, pp. 156–176. [1]
- ^ Beard, Simon. Existential Hope: Facing Our Future When the Signs Look Bad. Polity Press, 2025. ISBN 9781509562745.