If your grandfather had worked one extra year in his life, how much richer might you be today?
If your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather worked an extra hour, would you be a billionaire today? (If the answer is negative, how many “great-” do we need to add to make it true?)
Growth rates decrease as you go back in time, plus you start to hit problems like mass loss of wealth, wealth confiscation, war, natural disaster, etc.
If you think these area issues going forward, then they apply equally well to all longtermist arguments.
If your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather worked an extra hour, would you be a billionaire today? (If the answer is negative, how many “great-” do we need to add to make it true?)
Growth rates decrease as you go back in time, plus you start to hit problems like mass loss of wealth, wealth confiscation, war, natural disaster, etc.
If you think these area issues going forward, then they apply equally well to all longtermist arguments.