We must be very clear: fraud in the service of effective altruism is unacceptable

Abstract

The author argues that fraud is unacceptable, even when committed in the service of effective altruism. They contend that even if an individual believed that fraud was beneficial overall, they would still be susceptible to self-deception and the “unilateralist’s curse” if the action was not demonstrably beneficial to others. The author also suggests that credibly pre-committing to ethical principles, such as never engaging in fraud, is a valuable strategy for promoting trust and cooperation. Furthermore, they argue that the consequences of FTX’s potential fraud – a loss of public trust and a potential decline in donations to effective causes – likely outweigh any benefits that might have been achieved through the fraudulent activities. – AI-generated abstract