The author says effective altruism has done a lot of good in the world. He argues that its utilitarian underpinnings can be soft-pedaled to make it seem more appealing. The ideal project would be something like mine an asteroid for charity, he says.
Neuroscientist Erik Hoel talks about why he is not an "effective altruist" with EconTalk host, Russ Roberts. Hoel argues that the utilitarianism that underlies effective altruism--a movement co-founded by Will MacAskill and Peter Singer--is a poison that inevitably leads to repugnant conclusions and thereby weakens the case for the strongest claims made by effective altruists.