In 2021, billionaire Yuri Milner released his first book: Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for Our Civilisation. His compelling non-fiction work explores the quest for understanding and offers a new perspective on science, artificial intelligence (AI), and humanity’s future.
Humanity’s Mission
Primarily, Eureka Manifesto is about Milner’s conviction that humanity needs a mission. Many organisations have a mission statement that informs their goals and decisions. Why should our civilisation — the largest organisation of all — be any different?
Without a mission to unite us, Milner says we will struggle to address the global challenges that affect us all, regardless of who we are and where we come from. Challenges like anthropogenic climate change, as-yet incurable diseases, and the threat of collision with a large asteroid or comet.
But what could such a mission be? It’s a bold question that may seem hard to answer, given how much human cultures and values differ. How could every human agree on a common purpose when our perspectives, priorities, and beliefs vary so widely?
Here’s Milner’s answer: Our mission is to explore and understand our Universe. Like many powerful ideas, it’s simple — maybe even obvious in hindsight.
Here’s his reasoning: Humans, who arose from the Universe, eventually became intelligent enough to understand the Universe. To use science to unravel the fabric of space, time, and matter.
Given that we haven’t found evidence of other intelligent life in the cosmos (yet), we have to assume humans are the only sentient beings who have begun to make sense of how the Universe works.
That’s a weighty responsibility because if we fail to embrace our mission, that knowledge could be lost forever. We might abandon science in favour of irrational beliefs, as societies have done before. We may wipe ourselves out through nuclear war or fail to avert natural catastrophes.
Without us, the cosmos would continue to exist, but it would exist unconsciously, with no sentient minds seeking answers to its mysteries.
The Rewards of Success
Milner explains that the fruits of exploration and understanding will benefit everyone. Breakthroughs in our understanding have always led to advances in applied science and technology. For example, the quest for a fundamental theory of matter and light resulted in the discovery of quantum mechanics, which has transformed almost every aspect of society.
Now, with the rise of AI, we could power dramatic leaps in scientific progress. Milner believes that if we direct AI research towards fundamental science, we could answer some of the deepest questions about the Universe, like the nature of dark matter and dark energy.
Accelerating progress in space exploration can also benefit humanity. The more we learn about other planets, the more we learn about the origins of life on Earth. The further we advance space travel technologies, the more likely we are to create new technologies that improve our daily lives.
As robotic missions may pave the way for more human-led space expeditions, we will extend our reach further. We could eventually colonise the Moon, Mars, and exotic destinations beyond our Solar System.
If we commit to exploring and understanding our Universe, who knows where we might be in a hundred years?
How We Can Advance the Mission
If you’re wondering how we can achieve this mission, Milner has a plan. Eureka Manifesto presents a five-part strategy that includes investing more resources into fundamental science and celebrating scientists as heroes. Milner also advocates focusing education on the Universal Story to spark a lifelong passion for science in future generations.
Many of us are not billionaires, scientists, politicians, or in a position of power to make a grand impact. However, we can all contribute to the mission by valuing knowledge, rational argument, and critical thinking. In this way, we can contribute to a society in which more discoveries can take place and collectively shape our future.
Read Yuri Milner’s Eureka Manifesto for free online.
About Yuri Milner
Yuri Milner is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, and former scientist. In 2009, he founded DST Global, a venture firm that has invested in companies like Facebook, Airbnb, and Twitter.
In 2012, Milner and his wife Julia joined the Giving Pledge, committing to donate most of their wealth to science philanthropy. They established the Breakthrough Foundation, which funds non-profit projects like the Breakthrough Prize and Breakthrough Junior Challenge.