80,000 Hours Podcast

#137 – Andreas Mogensen on whether effective altruism is just for consequentialists

5 snips
Sep 8, 2022
Andreas Mogensen, a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford's Global Priorities Institute, explores the intersection of effective altruism and various ethical theories. He argues that you don't have to be a utilitarian to embrace effective altruism, detailing his lean towards deontological ethics. The discussion highlights the importance of a 'principle of beneficence' in addressing preventable suffering, and dives into the ethical complexities of moral obligations to future generations versus immediate needs. Mogensen's insights invite listeners to reevaluate their moral reasoning in altruism.
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INSIGHT

Deontology and Effective Altruism

  • Effective altruism is often associated with consequentialism, but deontology also values doing good.
  • Deontology emphasizes different moral considerations like rights and duties, not just outcomes.
ANECDOTE

Scope Insensitivity

  • William Desvouges' study shows scope insensitivity; people's willingness to pay didn't change much despite a 100x increase in birds saved.
  • This suggests our valuation might be flawed when dealing with large numbers.
INSIGHT

Why Deontology?

  • Andreas Mogensen prefers deontology because consequentialism can be too permissive.
  • The 'transplant case' highlights this, where killing one to save five is deemed permissible by utilitarianism, but violates deontological principles of rights.
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