Longtermism
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 An ethical theory, generally associated with effective altruism, which prioritizes improving the conditions of the long-term or distant future, rather than focusing exclusively on the near term (as in neartermism). uncountable
"When this thesis [termed earlier the 'long-term value thesis'] is also combined with the idea that some of our actions can have non-negligible effects on how the future goes, it implies that one of our biggest priorities should be ensuring the future goes well. This further idea is usually called ‘longtermism.’ […] The arguments for and against longtermism are a fascinating new area of research. Many of the key advances have been made by philosophers who have spent time in Oxford, like Derek Parfit, Nick Bostrom, Nick Beckstead, Hilary Greaves and Toby Ord."
- 2 Synonym of long-termism (“concentration on long-term goals rather than short-term security or advantage”). uncountable
Synonyms
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More examples"When this thesis [termed earlier the 'long-term value thesis'] is also combined with the idea that some of our actions can have non-negligible effects on how the future goes, it implies that one of our biggest priorities should be ensuring the future goes well. This further idea is usually called ‘longtermism.’ […] The arguments for and against longtermism are a fascinating new area of research. Many of the key advances have been made by philosophers who have spent time in Oxford, like Derek Parfit, Nick Bostrom, Nick Beckstead, Hilary Greaves and Toby Ord."
Etymology
From long-term + -ism.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.