Critiquing Effective Altruism (with Michael Nielsen and Ajeya Cotra)
Aug 19, 2022
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Ajeya Cotra, a Senior Research Analyst at Open Philanthropy focused on AI risks, discusses the strengths and critiques of Effective Altruism (EA). Alongside Michael Nielsen, an author known for his work on open science, they explore how the movement balances altruism and personal impact. They challenge the assumption that donors prioritize effectiveness, debate centralization vs. decentralization in resources, and unravel the complexities of moral dilemmas in charitable giving. Their candid conversation encourages rethinking how we allocate resources for maximum good.
Effective altruism focuses on being effective in chosen cause areas and maximizing impact.
The community aspect of effective altruism provides a support network for exchanging ideas and exploring different approaches to doing good.
Effective altruism recognizes the tension between demandingness and personal well-being and engages in ongoing conversations about managing the demands while prioritizing individual well-being.
A nuanced approach to evaluating impact and personal values within effective altruism is crucial for understanding the true value of different efforts.
Deep dives
Definition of Effective Altruism
Effective altruism is defined as using evidence and reason to figure out how to benefit others as much as possible and taking action based on that. There is also a distinction made between the intellectual project of figuring out how to do the most good and the moral decision of how much of one's resources to devote. The focus of effective altruism is on being effective in the chosen cause area and maximizing impact.
The Importance of Community in Effective Altruism
Effective altruism is more than just a philosophy or intellectual project. It also emphasizes the importance of community. The community aspect of effective altruism is a support network that encourages individuals to maximize their impact while considering both effectiveness and personal fit. The community provides a space where people can explore different approaches and exchange ideas to better understand the most effective ways to do good.
The Tension Between Demandingness and Personal Well-being
Effective altruism embraces the idea of doing as much good as possible, which can often lead to feelings of tremendous obligation and sacrifice. The tension between demandingness and personal well-being is a significant topic of discussion within the effective altruism community. Some people feel compelled to dedicate a substantial portion of their resources, such as time and money, to help others while others focus on maintaining a balance and avoiding burnout. The community recognizes and engages in ongoing conversations about managing the demands of effective altruism while prioritizing individual well-being.
The Role of Expected Value Maximization
Expected value maximization is considered a core principle in effective altruism. While not always applied in a strict mathematical calculation manner, the concept guides decision-making processes. Effective altruists think about the best ways to allocate resources based on expected impact. However, it is acknowledged that expected value calculations can be challenging and may not capture the full complexity and uncertainty of real-world situations. Effective altruism also appreciates that there are cases where significant impact is achieved without initially understanding the full extent of its potential.
The tension between maximizing utility and other values within effective altruism
The podcast explores the tension that exists within effective altruism (EA) between the principle of maximizing utility and other personal values. It discusses the internal struggle many individuals face in balancing their desire to do the most good with their desire for personal happiness, fulfillment, and meaningful relationships.
The limitations of goal-directed thinking for maximizing impact
The podcast suggests that a strictly goal-directed approach focused on maximizing impact may not be the most effective way to achieve significant positive change. It highlights that throughout history, many influential projects and individuals did not adhere to a explicit goal-directed mindset, but rather followed hunches or pursued seemingly unrelated endeavors that later had substantial impact.
The importance of a nuanced approach to evaluating impact and personal values
The podcast emphasizes the need for a nuanced approach to evaluating impact and personal values within the framework of effective altruism. It questions the assumption that prioritizing utility maximization is always the most effective path, and suggests that considering the potential long-term effects and the individual experiences of those engaging in altruistic endeavors is crucial for understanding the true impact and value of different efforts.
What is Effective Altruism? Which parts of the Effective Altruism movement are good and not so good? Who outside of the EA movement are doing lots of good in the world? What are the psychological effects of thinking constantly about the trade-offs of spending resources on ourselves versus on others? To what degree is the EA movement centralized intellectually, financially, etc.? Does the EA movement's tendency to quantify everything, to make everything legible to itself, cause it to miss important features of the world? To what extent do EA people rationalize spending resources on inefficient or selfish projects by reframing them in terms of EA values? Is a feeling of tension about how to allocate our resources actually a good thing?
Ajeya Cotra is a Senior Research Analyst at Open Philanthropy, a grantmaking organization that aims to do as much good as possible with its resources (broadly following effective altruist methodology); she mainly does research relevant to Open Phil's work on reducing existential risks from AI. Ajeya discovered effective altruism in high school through the book The Life You Can Save, and quickly became a major fan of GiveWell. As a student at UC Berkeley, she co-founded and co-ran the Effective Altruists of Berkeley student group, and taught a student-led course on EA. Listen to her 80,000 Hours podcast episode or visit her LessWrong author page for more info.
Michael Nielsen was on the podcast back in episode 016. You can read more about him there!
