John Hands – The Future of Humankind: Why we Should be Optimistic. 26 July 2023

At a time when there are so many prophets predicting doom for both the living world and the human species, John Hands presents an optimistic perspective on the future of humanity. This talk summarises the argument of his new book, The Future of Humankind: Why We Should Be Optimistic. On the basis of research and very many interviews with scientists in multiple different disciplines, he systematically goes through the existential threats that we face. These include extinction through not only natural disasters, astronomical, geological or biological, but also those caused by humans through nuclear warfare, population growth, climate change, and even by artificial intelligence. He argues that the numerous predictions of the impending extinction of the human species are not founded on accurate assessment of scientific evidence: humanity will survive even though there may well be much suffering and many deaths. He goes on to dismiss the futurist schemes of those who advocate human survival through colonising space or extending human lifespans or uploading human minds into computers or holograms.

Nevertheless, John has his own very optimistic view of the future of humanity, predicting that we will move into a new stage of evolution that will involve not just individuals but humanity as a whole, and will be characterised by the cooperation of human minds to create a collective consciousness that will escape its biological roots and spread throughout the universe.

Report by Jeremy Young