EA reading list: EA motivations and psychology

Abstract

This reading list provides a collection of resources discussing Effective Altruism (EA) from psychological and motivational perspectives. It begins with seminal readings on caring, the psychology of existential risk and long-termism, and delves into the cognitive biases that influence altruistic decisions. The readings also explore the conflict between personal guilt and altruistic actions, valuation of life, differentiation between emotional satisfaction and utility in altruism, and shifting motivational patterns. Other highlighted texts scrutinize potential shortcomings of effective altruism and propose novel paradigms for combining epistemic rigor with altruistic motivations. The discussion extends further with readers’ suggestions, providing additional resources from various authors like Peter Singer and Scott Alexander. Altogether, the reading list curates a comprehensive exploration of the intersection between psychology and effective altruism, aiming to provoke thought and understanding in these complex domains. – AI-generated abstract.