Importance is one of the three criteria used in the importance, tractability, neglectedness framework.

It can be separated into three components: scope, severity, likelihood.

Scope. How many people are affected by this? The scope can be personal, local, global, trans-generational, pan-generational or cosmic.

Severity. How much are the people affected by this? The severity can be imperceptible, endurable, crushing or hellish.

Likelihood. How likely is this to happen? This can vary from strong evidence it’s already happening to probability that it will happen to evidence that this is physically impossible to happen.

We can also consider how central to one’s moral circle the affected beings are.

Cause areas by scope and severity

Global and endurable (or worse) risks are called global catastrophic risks.

Pan-generational and crushing risks are called existential risks.

Cosmic and hellish risks are called risks of astronomical suffering.

Trans-generational and crushing risks include mostly life extension.

Local and crushing issues include health in poor countries.

Local and endurable issues include wellbeing, education, and fulfillment.

The following graph shows an overview of this.