80,000 Hours Podcast Benjamin Todd on the core of effective altruism and how to argue for it (80k team chat #3)
Sep 22, 2020
Ben Todd, CEO of 80,000 Hours, and Arden Koehler, a researcher at the organization, delve into the essence of effective altruism. They explore common misconceptions, clarifying that it extends beyond mere donations to tackle pressing global issues. The duo discusses the moral obligations tied to altruism and how to communicate its importance to skeptics. They also highlight the disparities in funding global challenges and the power of individual actions, making a case for aligned personal values in achieving impactful change.
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Sam Harris's Definition
- Sam Harris defined Effective Altruism as helping the most needy today, excluding future generations.
- This excludes existential risks, even though Toby Ord, an EA creator, focuses on them.
Misunderstanding EA
- Effective Altruism is often mistaken for donating to evidence-backed global health charities.
- People grasp specific examples more easily than the abstract core idea.
EA's Core Value
- Effective altruism's valuable contributions lie in long-termism, existential risks, and global priorities research.
- Evidence-based charity already existed; EA's novelty is in these broader considerations.