EA Forum Podcast (Curated & popular)

Conscious Meaning We share every moment with trillions of other conscious beings. Some are much like us, and others experience the world very differently. Creatures without a language to structure their thoughts, some who see broader spectrums of light or others who might experience the world in comparative slow motion. Each conscious moment immediately slips into the past largely unobserved and forgotten. They fall through time like snow to become frozen in the past. Always to have happened just as they did. Each conscious moment is transient and one small part of a vast whole, so one could see any individual as meaningless and insignificant. But every conscious moment is imbued with meaning. Happiness that need not justify itself and pains that consume any desire but to escape them. As individuals, we are not responsible for the state of the world. You did not choose to create disease, poverty and mental illness. You can’t control nature, and you can’t control the society around you. Many schools of philosophy disagree exactly on what our moral obligations are to others. Given this disagreement, we could default to radical scepticism that all attempts to decide what the right way to [...] ---Outline:(00:11) Conscious Meaning(02:06) Ovarian lottery(03:49) The Good we can do(05:18) Creating Balance(06:13) Voluntary Simplicity(08:12) Setting Salary based on the Worlds average income(10:12) Appendix: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone --- First published: December 11th, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/wd7XsSwqWCzd2uzhq/the-further-pledge-voluntary-simplicity --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

The Giving What We Can research team is excited to share the results of our 2025 round of evaluations of charity evaluators and grantmakers! In this round, we completed two evaluations that will inform our donation recommendations for the 2025 giving season. As with our previous rounds, there are substantial limitations to these evaluations, but we nevertheless think that they are a significant improvement to a landscape in which there were previously no independent evaluations of evaluators’ work. In this post, we share the key takeaways from our two 2025 evaluations and link to the full reports. In our conclusion, we explain our plans for future evaluations. Please also see our website for more context on why and how we evaluate evaluators. We look forward to your questions and comments! (Note: we will respond when we return from leave on the 8th of December) Key takeaways from each of our 2025 evaluations The two evaluators included in our 2025 round of evaluating evaluators were: GiveWell (full report) Happier Lives Institute (full report) GiveWell Based on our evaluation, we have decided to continue including GiveWell's Top Charities, Top Charities Fund and All Grants Fund in GWWC's [...] ---Outline:(01:08) Key takeaways from each of our 2025 evaluations(01:25) GiveWell(03:18) Happier Lives Institute (HLI)(06:29) Conclusion and future plans --- First published: December 1st, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/sAiHYuuGGT7qvne5P/gwwc-s-2025-evaluations-of-evaluators --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

And Effective Altruism has put my faith community to shame The BeginningWhen I became a Christian age 15 my life began to transform, but sadly my first external play was proclaiming no sex before marriage and saying F#$% a bit less (I’ve since resumed). Two years later at premed, Tuesday was my only night with no tutorial so I joined a church group, which was weirdly labelled “Social Justice”. I had zero clue what this was aboutt, maybe preventing bullying at school?. Our leader Jo opened with a question I’ll never forget. “I’m fundraising for World Vision and I told my chain-smoking friend I’ll buy him a pack of cigs if he joins the fundraising effort. Do you guys think that's OK?” As we discussed the conundrum for the next hour my heart jumped a little. Perhaps my time, skills and money could be useful for something more than just a comfortable life in the ‘burbs…Why do I Give?“When you give….” Jesus Christian motivations for giving vary wildly. Some mostly give to keep their church club solvent, others to save face, but most have deeper motivations. Here are mine. [...] ---Outline:(01:06) Why do I Give?(01:24) Gratitude and Joy(02:24) Utilitarian(03:14) More to come?(03:49) Christians aren't great at Giving(04:04) Father of Earning to Give?(05:07) We're not much better(06:08) Effective Altruist Giving Impresses me --- First published: December 10th, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/QrQ9jwFSNoEdd373f/i-donate-because-i-am-christian --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

The discussion dives into the challenges of veganism, arguing its ambitious standards may alienate potential supporters. Emre Kaplan highlights the problems in a movement that enforces extreme purity, leading to conflicts and infighting. He emphasizes the need for clearer guidelines to strengthen community bonds. Additionally, the lack of forgiveness for moral missteps discourages retention among followers. Kaplan critiques the focus on behavior over broader political objectives, suggesting a more inclusive approach could benefit the animal advocacy movement.

People working in the AI industry are making stupid amounts of money, and word on the street is that Anthropic is going to have some sort of liquidity event soon (for example possibly IPOing sometime next year). A lot of people working in AI are familiar with EA, and are intending to direct donations our way (if they haven't started already). People are starting to discuss what this might mean for their own personal donations and for the ecosystem, and this is encouraging to see. It also has me thinking about 2022. Immediately before the FTX collapse, we were just starting to reckon, as a community, with the pretty significant vibe shift in EA that came from having a lot more money to throw around. CitizenTen, in "The Vultures Are Circling" (April 2022), puts it this way: The message is out. There's easy money to be had. And the vultures are coming. On many internet circles, there's been a worrying tone. “You should apply for [insert EA grant], all I had to do was pretend to care about x, and I got $$!” Or, “I’m not even an EA, but I can pretend, as getting a 10k grant is [...] --- First published: December 10th, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vpPee6NgMbPcdsam3/the-funding-conversation-we-left-unfinished --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

In this discussion, Jeff Kaufman, an effective altruism researcher and writer, delves into the implications of potential funding from Anthropic's EA-minded employees as they approach an IPO. He considers adjusting his usual 50% donation rate, emphasizing the need for early support to maximize impact. Kaufman contrasts capacity constraints with funding constraints, stressing the importance of timely donations. He reflects on past funding decisions, aiming to avoid missed opportunities while acknowledging the risks and uncertainties surrounding Anthropic's future.

In a captivating conversation, Peter Wildeford discusses the looming risks of AI, shedding light on potential dangers and societal implications. The dialogue balances humor and seriousness, embodying the comedic essence of the Daily Show while probing deep into AI's impact. Wildeford engages listeners with compelling arguments and examples, sparking thoughts on the future. The blend of entertainment and critical insight keeps the audience both informed and amused.

I’ve spoken with hundreds of entomologists at conferences the world over. While there's clearly some self-selection (not everyone wants to talk to a philosopher), my experience is consistent: most think it's reasonable to care about the welfare of insects. Entomologists don’t regard it as the last stop on the crazy train; they don’t worry they’re getting mugged; they don’t think the idea is just utilitarianism run amok. Instead, they see some concern for welfare as stemming from a common-sense commitment to being humane in our dealings with animals. Let's be clear: they embrace “some concern,” not “bugs have rights.” Entomologists generally believe it's important to do invasive studies on insects, to manage their populations, to kill them to document their diversity. But given the choice between an aversive and a non-aversive way of euthanizing insects, most prefer the latter. Given the choice between killing fewer insects and more, most prefer fewer. They don’t want to end good lives unnecessarily; they don’t want to cause gratuitous suffering. It wasn’t always this way. But the science of sentience is evolving; attitudes are evolving too. These people work with insects every day; they constantly face choices about how to catch insects, how [...] --- First published: November 23rd, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/4FncrGhQKcuFthxiR/caring-about-bugs-isn-t-weird --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

AIM has selected Samantha Kagel as its new CEO, effective December 1, 2025. The search involved over 100 candidates, showcasing the thoroughness of the selection process. Previously, Samantha excelled as Chief Programs Officer, driving charity entrepreneurship initiatives. Her diverse experience, including roles in nonprofit consulting and at Google, showcases her strategic capabilities. The AIM Board expresses strong confidence in her vision for growth and collaborative leadership, setting the stage for an impactful future.

Abraham Rowe, a researcher known for his work in effective philanthropy, dives into the crucial concept of counterfactual funding. He emphasizes that the true impact of interventions hinges on what donors would have funded otherwise. Rowe contrasts different donor scenarios, questioning whether it’s easier to enhance effective giving or redirect ineffective donations. He urges advisors to track counterfactuals and highlights the importance of measuring impact based on how it alters donor choices. A thought-provoking discussion for anyone in the philanthropic space!