We stand at a precipice - a point where the future is at stake.
Humanity has come so far: ten thousand generations, each building on the work of their ancestors to reach the heights of culture and technology we see today. If we choose, we can continue this grand project, with enough time to end disease, poverty and injustice, and to fulfil our potential.
But this future is at risk: for the first time, our power has grown so great that we have the ability to destroy ourselves.
The Precipice is a clear-eyed look at the risks that we face, from the familiar, such as nuclear war and climate change, to the emerging, such as biotechnology and advanced artificial intelligence. It argues that ending these risks has become one of the most important moral issues of our time.
What do we owe to the generations that follow us? This is an inspiring vision of human history, the legacy we will leave behind, and the steps we must take to work towards a brighter future.