doomsday argument

proper noun

A probabilistic argument that claims to predict the future population of the human species based on an estimation of the number of humans born to date.

Meanings

doomsday argument1

proper noun

alternative Doomsday argument

  1. A probabilistic argument that claims to predict the future population of the human species based on an estimation of the number of humans born to date.

    Even if it ran only rather roughly, though, the doomsday argument could have considerable importance. In particular, it might throw severe doubt on the theory that the human race will very probably survive for many thousand years.

    2002, John Leslie, The End of the World: The Science and Ethics of Human Extinction, Routledge, →ISBN

Doomsday argument2

proper noun
  1. Alternative letter-case form of doomsday argument.
Cite this entry
APA

doomsday argument. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doomsday%20argument

MLA

“doomsday argument.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doomsday%20argument. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “doomsday argument,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doomsday%20argument.

Source: doomsday argument on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.