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Abstract

Effective altruism is a philosophy that aims to use reason and evidence to determine the most effective ways to improve the world. This paper reviews various critiques of effective altruism, which can be broadly categorized as challenges to its effectiveness, its principles, and its methods. The authors examine criticisms regarding the effectiveness of effective altruism in achieving systemic change, as well as those questioning its validity as a question, ideology, or both. They also discuss critiques of the principles of effective altruism, specifically focusing on Pascal’s Mugging and the repugnant conclusion, as well as critiques of its methods, such as the philosophical review of Open Philanthropy’s Cause Prioritisation Framework. The paper concludes with a discussion of the importance of careful and critical thinking when evaluating these different perspectives, and how a thoughtful consideration of each perspective can help us to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of effective altruism. – AI-generated abstract.