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.
An Introduction to S-Risks
A promising first step is to learn more about s-risks. The following introductory post explains how s-risks could come about and why we should take them seriously. It also explores how we might avoid them.
Introduction to s-risks
Learn more about s-risks by reading this introduction from Tobias Baumann
Read MoreArguments for and against a focus on s-risks
Should averting risks of astronomical suffering (s-risks) be our main priority?
Read MoreAvoiding 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 concept of s-risks. It’s available to read and listen to for free in a variety of formats.
What You Can Do
We recognise that discussions of s-risks can be unpleasant and disturbing at times. Yet while these issues can be challenging, that doesn’t mean they should be neglected.
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 identifies 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.
Career advice for reducing suffering
In this guide, we outline our thoughts on promising paths for those who wish to use their career to reduce suffering.
Read MoreExplore Relevant Research
Researchers focused on reducing suffering have written publications on a variety of topics. Explore the research and publications below.
Projects to Prevent Intense Suffering
Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS)
Read MoreMinimalist Axiologies: Alternatives to ‘Good Minus Bad’ Views of Value
Teo Ajantaival – Center for Reducing Suffering (CRS)
Read MoreSupport Work to Reduce Suffering
Another option is to provide support for those already working to reduce s-risks.
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:
- The Center on Long-Term Risk, which focuses on addressing worst-case risks from advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
- Animal Ethics, which does advocacy and research to improve the lives of animals in the wild.
- The Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS), which focuses on specific causes of intense suffering.
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:
- Effective Suffering Reducers (Reddit)
- Risks of Astronomical Suffering (Facebook)
Learn More About the Work and Approach of CRS
Read Our Free Books
We’re able to offer free copies of books on s-risks and suffering-focused ethics from co-founders 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. CRS’s 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, we’d love to hear from you.
Please leave a message, or you can send your feedback anonymously.