{"product_id":"whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-existential-risk-and-extreme-politics-hardcover","title":"What's the Worst That Could Happen?: Existential Risk and Extreme Politics - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eAndrew Leigh\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy catastrophic risks are more dangerous than you think, and how populism is making them worse.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDid you know that you're more likely to die from a catastrophe than in a car crash? The odds that a typical US resident will die from a catastrophic event--for example, nuclear war, bioterrorism, or out-of-control artificial intelligence--have been estimated at 1 in 6. That's fifteen times more likely than a fatal car crash and \u003ci\u003ethirty-one\u003c\/i\u003e times more likely than being murdered. In \u003ci\u003eWhat's the Worst That Could Happen?\u003c\/i\u003e, Andrew Leigh looks at catastrophic risks and how to mitigate them, arguing provocatively that the rise of populist politics makes catastrophe more likely. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLeigh explains that pervasive short-term thinking leaves us unprepared for long-term risks. Politicians sweat the small stuff--granular policy details of legislation and regulation--but rarely devote much attention to reducing long-term risks. Populist movements thrive on short-termism because they focus on their followers' immediate grievances. Leigh argues that we should be long-termers: broaden our thinking and give big threats the attention and resources they need. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLeigh outlines the biggest existential risks facing humanity and suggests remedies for them. He discusses pandemics, considering the possibility that the next virus will be more deadly than COVID-19; warns that unchecked climate change could render large swaths of the earth uninhabitable; describes the metamorphosis of the arms race from a fight into a chaotic brawl; and examines the dangers of runaway superintelligence. Moreover, Leigh points out, populism (and its crony, totalitarianism) not only exacerbates other dangers but is also a risk factor in itself, undermining the institutions of democracy as we watch.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAndrew Leigh is a Member of the Australian House of Representatives, and author of several books, including \u003ci\u003eRandomistas: How Radical Researchers Are Changing Our World\u003c\/i\u003e and (with Joshua Gans) \u003ci\u003eInnovation + Equality: How to Create a Future That Is More \"Star Trek\" Than \"Terminator\"\u003c\/i\u003e (MIT Press).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 240\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.02 x 9.13 x 6.3 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 09, 2021\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51767710253344,"sku":"9780262046077","price":27.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/045e9c94afdb67ff7a4eb9516459b90e.webp?v=1780315903","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-existential-risk-and-extreme-politics-hardcover","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}