Edge.org

Perhaps increased future self-continuity—in individuals as well as policymakers—could generate solutions.

But perhaps there is a middle ground between self and stranger. To the extent that someone imagines their future self to be similar to their present self, this sense of “future self-continuity” might predict their willingness to at least consider the interests of the future self.

If you are familiar with the Ship of Theseus, you may relate to the philosophical dilemma of determining what physical parts remain a self if the body and self changes over time. Answering the question "What scientific concept ought to be more widely known?", Knutson explains the research on how humans tend to relate to their future selves, which i... See more

"Five years from now, what will your future self think of your current self? Will you even be the same person?"

When we think about the future self, the activity falls somewhere in between. The closer that activity is to the current self, the more willing individuals are to wait for future rewards (or to show less “temporal discounting” of future rewards)

Perhaps if one is pessimistic about the future, it is that much more important to embrace Future Self-Continuity, however paradoxically, because acting with the interests of the future in mind may the best way to make a future worth living in.

Future self-continuity may even operate at the group level, since cultures that value respect for elders tend to save more, while nations with longer histories tend to have cleaner environments.

Knutson goes on to explain the potential implications of embracing Future Self-Continuity, especially when the world seems bad, because of the way our ability to relate to our future selves shapes our decision making. Knutson suggests what this could look like at a group level.

Scalable future self-continuity interventions may open up new channels for enhancing health, education, and wealth.