Philosophy · Similar reads
Books like What We Owe the Future
The best books like What We Owe the Future are The Moral Landscape, A Theory of Justice, and The Better Angels of Our Nature. What We Owe the Future by William MacAskill is about longtermism, moral philosophy, existential risk. If that's what drew you in, here are 12 books that share its DNA — each summarized on Superbook, and ready to chat with in the app.
- The Moral Landscape
01
Sam Harris · Philosophy
The Moral Landscape is Sam Harris's argument that science can and should determine human values.
A kindred philosophy read.
Read the summary → - A Theory of Justice
02
John Rawls · Philosophy
A Theory of Justice, published in 1971, is John Rawls's attempt to construct a systematic alternative to utilitarianism in political philosophy.
A kindred philosophy read.
Read the summary → - The Better Angels of Our Nature
03
The Better Angels of Our Nature
Steven Pinker · Science
The Better Angels of Our Nature is Steven Pinker's argument, supported by extensive historical and statistical data, that human violence has declined dramatically over long time periods and that this decline is real, not an artifact of reporting or perception.
A kindred philosophy read.
Read the summary →
- Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions
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Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions
Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths · Psychology
Brian Christian is a writer and Tom Griffiths is a cognitive scientist, and together they argue that computer science has worked out rigorous solutions to many of the problems humans face every day — when to stop searching for a better option, how to manage your schedule, how to sort your memory — and that these solutions are both interesting and useful.
A kindred philosophy read.
Read the summary → - Existentialism Is a Humanism
05
Jean-Paul Sartre · Philosophy
Existentialism Is a Humanism began as a 1945 lecture Sartre gave to a packed Paris hall in response to critics who called existentialism pessimistic, quietist, and dangerous.
A kindred philosophy read.
Read the summary → - Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?
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Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?
Michael J. Sandel · Philosophy
Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?
Both dig into moral philosophy.
Read the summary → - Summa Theologica (Selections)
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Thomas Aquinas · Philosophy
The Summa Theologica — "Summary of Theology" — is Thomas Aquinas's masterwork, composed between approximately 1265 and 1274.
Both dig into moral philosophy.
Read the summary → - The Good Ancestor
08
Roman Krznaric · Philosophy
The Good Ancestor is Roman Krznaric's case for extending our sense of moral and practical obligation across time — not just to the people alive today but to those who will come after us.
Both dig into future generations.
Read the summary → - The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity
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The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity
Toby Ord · Philosophy
The Precipice is Oxford philosopher Toby Ord's case that humanity is living through an unusually dangerous period — one where our technological capabilities have outrun our wisdom and governance, and where a small number of risks could cut off not just this generation but all future generations.
Both dig into existential risk.
Read the summary → - Utilitarianism
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John Stuart Mill · Philosophy
Utilitarianism, first published in 1863 after appearing in Fraser's Magazine the previous year, is Mill's defense and refinement of the utilitarian moral theory he inherited from Jeremy Bentham.
Both dig into moral philosophy.
Read the summary → - Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
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Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Max Tegmark · Science
Life 3.0 is Max Tegmark's accessible survey of the questions raised by the prospect of human-level and superhuman artificial intelligence: What are the plausible paths to AGI?
Both dig into existential risk.
Read the summary → - Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
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Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
Nick Bostrom · Science
Superintelligence is Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom's systematic analysis of what might happen if artificial intelligence systems become more capable than humans — and why that transition might represent one of the most significant risks in human history.
Both dig into existential risk.
Read the summary →
Books like What We Owe the Future: quick answers
What are the best books like What We Owe the Future?
The best books like What We Owe the Future by William MacAskill are The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris, A Theory of Justice by John Rawls, The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker, Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths, Existentialism Is a Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre, plus 7 more below. Each was chosen for themes it shares with What We Owe the Future, such as longtermism, moral philosophy, existential risk.
What should I read after What We Owe the Future?
A natural next read after What We Owe the Future is The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris. A kindred philosophy read. Other strong choices are A Theory of Justice by John Rawls, The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker, Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths.
What books are similar to What We Owe the Future by William MacAskill?
What We Owe the Future centers on longtermism, moral philosophy, existential risk. Books with a similar feel include The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris, A Theory of Justice by John Rawls, The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker, Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths, Existentialism Is a Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre, Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Michael J. Sandel — all free to read and chat with on Superbook.
