Four categories of effective altruism critiques

Abstract

This article categorizes criticisms of effective altruism into four groups: (1) normative assumptions and moral values, (2) empirical assumptions and theories of change, (3) institutions and organizations in the effective altruism social movement, and (4) social norms and practices in the effective altruism community. To illustrate the categories, the article provides examples of existing work on topics such as philosophical underpinnings, cost-effectiveness of interventions, transparency in funding, and motivations of individuals within the community. The discussion encourages constructive skepticism, highlighting the importance of actionable critiques and proposing potential shifts in terminology to facilitate more targeted evaluations within the effective altruism movement. – AI-generated abstract.