The Great Filter - Are We Almost Past It? - Robin Hanson, 1998

The Fermi paradox is the discrepancy between the lack of observations of advanced extraterrestrial life, despite the apparently high likelihood of its existence.

The great filter hypothesis resolves this discrepancy by theorizing that there must be some unseen thing, which is repeatedly causing the extinction of all of those advanced extraterrestrial civilizations.

So what is this unknown Great Filter?

Can humanity recognize this Great Filter and circumvent it, before it's too late?

Hanson’s Essay

The Great Filter: bringer of death to those living, or bringer of great happiness at the expense of birth of new life?

AI Safety doomers, Environmental doomers, Nuclear doomers, and the like all have one thing in common. All suggest that the Great Filter must be something that kills many who are currently alive.

What if, instead, the Great Filter is something that acts by preventing future generations from ever being born in the first place?

Me and my gf

(great filter set to cause the extinction of human civilization through birthrate collapse but watch it bro she’s mine and I like her)

Bro don’t get our hopes up like that

Is what it is

long march