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At the Center for Reducing Suffering, our main priority is to avoid future outcomes with astronomical amounts of intense suffering, also known as s-risks.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concepts of s-risks, this page will help you get started learning about them. 

You’ll find information on what s-risks are, why we think they are so important, as well as how you can get involved and make a difference.

Introduction to S-Risks 

A promising first step is to learn more about s-risks. The following introductory posts explain how s-risks could come about, why we should take them seriously, and how we might avoid them.

Avoiding the Worst: How to Prevent a Moral Catastrophe

For a more in-depth look at s-risks, Tobias Baumann’s book Avoiding the Worst is a book-length overview of the topic. It is available to read and listen to for free in a variety of formats.

Introduction to Suffering-Focused Ethics

The text below provides a general introduction to suffering-focused ethical views. When combined with a long-term focus, this family of views tends to support a focus on s-risks.

What You Can Do

We recognise that discussions of s-risks and reducing suffering can be unpleasant and disturbing at times. Yet while these issues can be challenging, that doesn’t mean they should be ignored.

Fortunately, there are many different ways that you can get involved and make a difference:

Use Your Career

What we do in our professional lives is arguably our best opportunity to make a difference. If you’re looking to have a meaningful impact and reduce the likelihood of s-risks occurring, our career guide has suggestions for various high-impact career paths.

The guide outlines options in research and non-research roles at organisations working to reduce s-risks, as well as roles in politics, AI safety, and more.

For those inclined towards research, reviewing CRS’s Open Research Questions may help to guide your approach.

Explore Relevant Research

Researchers focused on reducing suffering have written publications on a variety of topics. Explore the research and publications below.

Support Work to Reduce Suffering

Another option is to provide support for those already working to reduce suffering. 

Existing organisations working to reduce suffering and s-risks will use your support to do research and to pursue interventions aimed at averting s-risks and preventing future suffering.

In addition to CRS, organisations that work to reduce suffering include:

Join the Community of Effective Suffering Reducers

Learn more, interact with others and join one of the welcoming communities for those interested in reducing suffering:

Learn More About the Work and Approach of CRS

Read Our Free Books

We are able to offer free copies of books on s-risks and suffering-focused ethics from Magnus Vinding and Tobias Baumann.

These books are freely available in a range of formats. 

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About CRS

CRS is an organisation that works to create a future with less suffering, with a focus on reducing the most intense suffering. Our top priority is to avoid worst-case futures.

The organisation was co-founded by Magnus Vinding and Tobias Baumann.
More information on our Values, Strategic Plan, and Team is available on our website.

Questions and Feedback

We hope this introductory page is helpful, but if you have any questions, or feedback on how we could improve it, feel free to reach out to us.