2. Democratising Risk

This chapter examines the field of Existential Risk Studies (ERS), and the Techno-Utopian Approach (TUA) which has, the authors argue, historically dominated the field since contributing to its foundation. The TUA’s dependence on ethical theories such as utilitarianism and longtermism has resulted in existential risk being defined in terms of a belief system, a vision of morality and value which is not held by the majority. ERS concerns humanity as a whole, leading the authors to suggest the TUA is non-representative and undemocratic. To improve ERS, the authors argue instead for the separation of extinction risks from extinction/existential ethics, the acknowledgement of the assumptions underlying risk analyses, and the adoption of the newest advances in risk assessment from different fields. This chapter suggests that the abandonment of the TUA will allow for the democratisation and diversification of ERS, and encourages researchers and readers to embrace a more inclusive approach to thinking about risk and catastrophe.