Risks of Astronomical Suffering (S-risks)

(Astronomical) suffering risks, also known as s-risks, are risks of the creation of intense suffering in the far future on an astronomical scale, vastly exceeding all suffering that has existed on Earth so far.

A related concept is hyperexistential risk, the risk of "fates worse than death" on an astronomical scale. It is not clear whether all hyperexistential risks are s-risks per se. It is clear that notBut arguably all s-risks are hyperexistential, since "tiling the universe with mildly unhappy experiences"experiences of severe suffering" would likely be an s-risk but very likely wouldn't be a worse fate than death.

There are two EA organizations with s-risk prevention research as their primary focus: the Center on Long-Term Risk (CLR) and the Center for Reducing Suffering. Much of CLR's work is on suffering-focused AI safety and crucial considerations. Although to a much lesser extent, the Machine Intelligence Research Institute and Future of Humanity Institute have investigated strategies to prevent s-risks, the only EA organization with s-risk prevention research as its primary focus is the Center on Long-Term Risk. Much of CLR's work is on suffering-focused AI safety and crucial considerations.risks too. 

Another approach to reducing s-risk is to "expand the moral circle",together with raising concern for suffering, so that future (post)human civilizations and AI are less likely to instrumentally cause suffering to non-human minds such as animals or digital sentience. Sentience Institute works on this value-spreading problem.

Although the Machine Intelligence Research Institute and Future of Humanity Institute have investigated strategies to prevent s-risks, the only EA organization with s-risk prevention research as its primary focus is the Center on Long-Term Risk. Much of FRI'CLR's work is on suffering-focused AI safety and crucial considerations.

Although the Machine Intelligence Research Institute and Future of Humanity Institute have investigated strategies to prevent s-risks, the only EA organization with s-risk prevention research as its primary focus is the Foundational Research InstituteCenter on Long-Term Risk. Much of FRI's work is on suffering-focused AI safety and crucial considerations.

• Foundational Research InstituteCenter on Long-Term Risk
• Existential risk
• Abolitionism
• Mind crime
• Utilitarianism, Hedonism

S-risks are an example of existential risk (also known as x-risks) according to Nick Bostrom's original definition, as they threaten to "curtail [humanity'"permanently and drastically curtail [Earth-originating intelligent life's] potential". Most existential risks are of the form "event E happens which drastically reduces the number of conscious experiences in the future". S-risks therefore serve as a useful reminder that some x-risks are scary because they cause bad experiences, and not just because they prevent good ones.

A related concept is hyperexistential risk, the risk of "fates worse than death."death" on an astronomical scale. It is not clear whether all hyperexistential risks are s-risks per se. It is clear that not all s-risks are hyperexistential, since "tiling the universe with mildly unhappy experiences" would be an s-risk but very likely wouldn't be a worse fate than death.

Suffering(Astronomical) suffering risks (also, also known as s-risks), are risks of the creation of suffering in the far future on an astronomical scale, vastly exceeding all suffering that has existed on Earth so far.

Suffering risks (also known as s-risks) are risks of the creation of suffering in the far future on an astronomical scale, vastly exceeding all suffering that has existed on Earth so far. In this sense, many s-

S-risks can be considered a formare an example of existential risk (also known as x-risks) according to Nick Bostrom's original definition, as they threaten to "curtail [humanity's] potential". However, it is oftenMost existential risks are of the form "event E happens which drastically reduces the number of conscious experiences in the future". S-risks therefore serve as a useful toreminder that some x-risks are scary because they cause bad experiences, and not just because they prevent good ones.

Within the space of x-risks, we can distinguish between x-risks that threaten to prevent future populations from coming into existence (extinction risks)are s-risks, x-risks involving human extinction, x-risks that involve immense suffering and human extinction, and those whichx-risks that involve neither. For example:

A related concept is hyperexistential risk, the risk of "fates worse than death." It is not clear whether all hyperexistential risks are s-risks per se. It is clear that not all s-risks are hyperexistential, since "tiling the universe with mildly unhappy experiences" would createbe an s-risk but very likely wouldn't be a large amount of suffering (s-risks).worse fate than death.

Although the Machine Intelligence Research Institute and Future of Humanity Institute have investigated strategies to prevent s-risks, the only EA organization with s-risk prevention research as its primary focus is the Foundational Research Institute. Much of FRI's work is on suffering-focused AI safety and crucial considerations. Another approach to reducing s-risk is to "expand the moral circle", so that future (post)human civilizations and AI are less likely to instrumentally cause suffering to non-human minds such as animals or digital sentience. Sentience Institute works on this value-spreading problem.

Suffering risks (also known as s-risks) are risks of the creation of suffering in the far future on an astronomical scale, vastly exceeding all suffering that has existed on Earth so far. In this sense, many s-risks can be considered a form of existential risk according to Bostrom's original definition, as they threaten to "curtail [humanity's] potential". However, it is often useful to distinguish between risks that threaten to prevent future populations from coming into existence (standard x-(extinction risks) and those which would create a large amount of suffering (s-risks).