Curtis is setting aside a large chunk of money to donate to charity, and it is up to us to persuade him where he should donate it. Luckily, philosophers, economists, and the nonprofit world has been thinking a lot about this issue in recent years. On this episode, effective altruism’s defenders and critics try to persuade Curtis of where he should donate. Who is the most effective in persuading an ordinary person as to the right way to donate to charity? And do the recent scandals involving effective altruism’s biggest donor implicate its philosophical foundations?
We start with arguments that you should always try to save the most lives possible, no matter where they are on the planet. We then hear a critic of that view, who argues that local giving can also be a good. We then turn to the view that we should save humans from extinction from threats like pandemics, nuclear war, and AI takeover. And finally, we hear from a critic of that view, who says we should not blow future risks out of proportion.
Guests include philosophers Richard Yetter-Chappell (Miami), Savannah Pearlman (Indiana), Shakeel Hashim (Center for Effective Altruism), and Seth Lazar (Australia National University).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rise of the Music Machines
The Problem with Gig Work
Love in the Time of Replika
Living in a Zoopolis
The Digital Future of Grief
Season 6 Trailer
Cannibals
Zombies
Vampires
Memorials
Life, Edited
Hi-Phi Nation Presents: Decoder Ring, The Alberta Rat War
The Selfless Kidney Donor
The Man of Many Worlds IV
The Man of Many Worlds III
The Man of Many Worlds II
The Man of Many Worlds I
Hi-Phi Nation Presents: Into the Zone (When We Were Cyber)
Justice and Retribution
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Slow Burn
Slate Debates
What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Decoder Ring
The Gist