Presumably, in the long term, extinction risk will decrease, as civilisation spreads out.
Increased risks have been accompanied by increased risk control—and it is not obvious how these things balance out. Pinker suggests going by death by violence in his latest book—and indeed the risk of death by violence is in decline.
Superpowers and world-spanning companies duking it out does not necessarily lead to global security in the short term, though. Most current trends seem positive and probably things will continue to improve—but it is hard to be sure—since technological history is still fairly short.
Presumably, in the long term, extinction risk will decrease, as civilisation spreads out.
Increased risks have been accompanied by increased risk control—and it is not obvious how these things balance out. Pinker suggests going by death by violence in his latest book—and indeed the risk of death by violence is in decline.
Superpowers and world-spanning companies duking it out does not necessarily lead to global security in the short term, though. Most current trends seem positive and probably things will continue to improve—but it is hard to be sure—since technological history is still fairly short.