Effective Altruism: An Introduction
As the world faces increasingly complex problems - from pandemics to global poverty and climate change – how do we decide where to focus our efforts and resources to do the most good possible? Effective altruism offers a way to do just that, focusing on evidence and rational arguments to identify crucial issues and the most impactful ways of solving them.
In this new book, philosopher Jacob Bauer cuts through the uncritical hype and wholesale dismissal around effective altruism to offer a balanced overview of this movement's core concepts and approaches to ‘doing good better’. With examples spanning malaria-preventing bed nets to the dangers of AI, he illuminates how effective altruism is addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems, all the while acknowledging its real limitations and showcasing its immense promise.
Whether you are a skeptic or a new adherent seeking to understand the philosophy and community of effective altruism, this book is the definitive guide.
What People are Saying:
"Effective altruism is an approach to how we should live that forms the basis of a growing social movement. Jacob Bauer’s outstanding introduction explains the ideas behind the movement for those unfamiliar with it, while those who are already effective altruists can also learn from this book – as I have done."
Peter Singer, Princeton University, and author of Animal Liberation, The Life You Can Save and The Most Good You Can Do
"A clear and comprehensive introduction to effective altruism – the project of identifying the best ways to help others. This book covers the key concepts of the effective altruism movement as it exists today, woven together in a clear, practical framework."
Benjamin Todd, founder of 80,000 Hours and lead author of 80,000 Hours: Find a Fulfilling Career that Does Good
“This textbook serves as an excellent introduction to the ideas of Effective Altruism. It covers key concepts related to cause area evaluation, the case for specific causes such as alleviating global poverty, mitigating risks from advanced technology, and improving animal welfare, as well as moral arguments for seeking to do more good. Furthermore, it does an excellent job of explaining complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner while providing numerous helpful examples, making the content accessible to an audience that is new to this way of thinking.”
Spencer Greenberg, founder of ClearerThinking.org
“Without skimping on clarity or rigor, Bauer succinctly covers key effective altruism themes in this short book. By pairing EA cause areas with theoretical questions, he makes complicated ideas accessible.”
Amy Berg, assistant professor of philosophy at Oberlin College and author of The Well-Rounded Life
"Effective Altruism directs us to think carefully and systematically about the world's most pressing problems. This textbook explains how. It provides a wide-ranging and up-to-date account of how Effective Altruists seek to improve the world—and how you could, too."
Richard Yetter Chappell, associate professor of philosophy at the University of Miami and author of Parfit’s Ethics
Table of Contents
Introduction: What is Effective Altruism?
1: The Urgency of Effective Altruism: Pandemics and Prioritization
1.1 Pandemics and the World in Triage
1.2 Prioritizing Global Issues: The SNS Framework
1.3 The World’s Most Pressing Problems
1.4 Objections and Limitations to the SNS Framework
1.5 Solutions are Possible: Preventing Future Pandemics
Questions for Reflection
Helpful Resources
2: Global Poverty: You CAN Make a Difference
2.1 Wealth: One of Our Superpowers
2.2 Origins of Effective Altruism: High-impact Charities
2.3 Moral Inspiration of Effective Altruism: Singer’s Pond Analogy
2.4 Earning to Give
2.5 Objections: Does Charity Do More Harm than Good?
2.6 Objections: How Much to Give?
2.7 Objections: Near before Far?
2.8 More Than Giving to the Global Poor
Questions for Reflection
Helpful Resources
3: Weighing Uncertainties: Should You be Vegan?
3.1 Moral Catastrophes
3.2 Is Factory Farming a Moral Catastrophe?
3.3 Moral Uncertainty: Veganism and Moral Caution
3.4 Expected Value: Does Your Diet Make a Difference?
3.5 Problems with Expected Value
3.6 How Effective Altruists Combat Factory Farming
Questions for Reflection
Helpful Resources
4: Systemic Change and Moral Pitfalls: Combatting Climate Change
4.1 Carbon Offsets Controversy
4.2 Giving Green and Rethinking Offsets
4.3 The Need for Systemic Change
4.4 What About Lifestyle Changes? Focus on the Big Stuff
4.5 Moral Licensing: The Danger of Sweating the Small Stuff
4.6 Signs for Hope: Optimistic Changemakers
Questions for Reflection
Helpful Resources
5: Can Your Career Save the World? Nuclear Weapons and Existential Risk
5.1 Using your 80,000 hours
5.2 The Doomsday Machine: The Ever-Present Danger of Nuclear Weapons
5.3 Existential Risks
5.4 On the Precipice: Anthropogenic Risks
5.5 Reducing Existential Risk: Four Approaches
5.6 Reducing Nuclear Risk: Five High-Impact Career Paths
5.7 Objections to Devoting Your Career to Nuclear Security
5.8 Objections to Devoting Your Career to Reducing Existential Risk
5.9 Conclusion
Questions for Reflection
Helpful Resources
6: High Risks and Rewards: AI and Longtermism
6.1 Risking Our Future: Technological Risk and Future Generations
6.2 Longtermism
6.3 The Power and Promise of Advanced AI
6.4 AI as an Existential Risk
6.5 Delay or Accelerate?
6.6 Longtermism vs Neartermism and AI
6.7 What Can We Do for Our Future?
Questions for Reflection
Helpful Resources
7: Making a Difference Through Effective Altruism
7.1 The Importance of Effective Altruism
7.2 Harnessing Your Altruistic Superpowers
7.3 Focusing on the Big Stuff: The SDAC Framework
7.4 Applying EA Concepts to Anything
7.5 Taking the Next Steps: Becoming More Effective Altruists
Questions for Reflection
Helpful Resources
Endnotes