Ian Goldin on Humanity at the Crossroads

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Ian Goldin on Humanity at the Crossroads

30 Oct 2009

Speakers: Ian Goldin

Ian Goldin explores the myriad challenges that humanity faces in this century, and introduces the diverse work of the 21st Century School at the University of Oxford.

Goldin suggests the 21st century could be one of unparalleled development, but that it might also be disastrous for humanity. Outlining the numerous benefits of globalisation, he also raises questions of sustainability. He moves from demographics to technological trends, highlighting the moral and ethical issues that arise from important scientific discoveries in genetics or nanotechnology. Goldin notes the pertinent issue of climate change and the challenge of global governance, questioning the status of Old World international organisations in light of the recent economic downturn. He assesses the state of humankind, introducing the possibility of extinction as a result of disease, biological warfare, climate change or conflict. He also notes the importance of the younger generation in identifying the links between the public and private good and understanding the consequences of individual actions.

Goldin ends by outlining the particular work that the 21st Century School is undertaking, from tentative predictions on the ‘Future of Humankind’ to more specific and practical research on the human mind, oceanography, geoengineering and demographics.

This video was kindly provided by The 21st Century School.