Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content #448 - The Philosophy of Good and Evil
38 snips
Dec 8, 2025 
David Edmonds, a philosopher and author at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at Oxford, dives into moral philosophy and effective altruism. He discusses the provocative nature of thought experiments like Peter Singer's drowning child scenario and the ethics behind consequentialism. Edmonds critiques the backlash against effective altruism, the psychological impact of identifiable victims, and Angus Deaton’s views on foreign aid. Their conversation also explores the balance between effective giving and personal attachments, reframing our moral obligations.
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Trolley Cases Expose Moral Intuitions
- Trolley problems reveal a striking divergence between moral intuitions and pure consequentialism.
- People distinguish flipping a switch from directly killing someone, exposing non-consequentialist intuitions.
Consequences Should Include Social Ripples
- Consequentialism demands considering all consequences, including psychological and social ripples.
- Sam Harris argues a fuller consequentialist account can explain why push vs switch feel different.
Intention Versus Foreseeable Harm
- People distinguish intending harm from merely foreseeing harm, invoking the doctrine of double effect.
- This distinction underlies many non-consequentialist judgments about moral acts.
