Longtermism[1][2] is a philosophy that future lives matter and that we have a similar obligation to them as we do to lives around currently. William Macaskill states it in three clauses[3]:
Future people count
There could be a lot of them
We can make their lives better
[broad description of philosophy, something about WWOTF]
Criticisms and responses
Longermism suffers from all the standard criticism of consequentialism
Response: Longtermism doesn’t require consequentialist assumptions. Many individuals and societies have felt an obligation towards their decendents
Response: Many criticisms of consequentialism are baseless [[criticisms of consequentialism]]
Longtermism could be used to justify not caring about the world now
This is partially true
Future lives don’t exist, how could we care about them
Something about Bostrom
Something about ripples in a pond
Something about Hanson
Longtermism is unaccountable
Lontermist thinkers have skeletons in their closets
A future that doesn’t deal with current suffering is not one some people want to live in