hyperopian

Hyperopian is a neologism used in philosophy, futurism, and speculative fiction to describe an orientation toward the future that prioritizes extremely long-term outcomes. The term can function as an adjective (hyperopian stance) or a noun (a hyperopian). It signals an emphasis on distant generations and large-scale risks and interventions, often in the context of ethical decision-making and policy design.

Etymology and scope: The word blends the prefix hyper- meaning excessive or over with a root alluding to vision, drawing an analogy to hyperopia (farsightedness). The coinage appears in contemporary discourse as a provocative label for frames that push horizon-focused thinking—distinguishing itself from more conventional terms like long-termism, though it is not yet established as a formal doctrine in dictionaries.

Usage and interpretations: In debates about climate policy, artificial intelligence safety, and global catastrophic risks, hyperopian arguments advocate policies aimed at protecting and enabling far-future civilizations, sometimes through precautionary or transformative measures. Critics argue that hyperopian thinking can overemphasize unlikely distant risks, underweight present-day needs, or yield impractical policy prescriptions.

Relation to other concepts: Hyperopian thinking stands in contrast to near-term or present-focused heuristics and, in some uses, to long-termism itself. In academic and literary contexts, it can function as a foil to critique overextended horizons or to explore governance that is relentlessly future-oriented. In fiction, hyperopian worlds often examine the social and political costs of prioritizing distant futures above present conditions.

See also: hyperopia; farsightedness; long-termism; existential risk; futurism; policy framing.