What to read to understand “effective altruism”

Abstract

This article provides a curated reading list to understand the philosophy and goals of effective altruism, a growing social movement and research agenda that focuses on maximizing positive impact on the world. According to the article, effective altruism encourages individuals to use reason and evidence to determine the most effective ways to allocate resources and efforts to address global problems. Prominent thinkers in the field, such as William MacAskill and Peter Singer, argue for prioritizing long-term benefits and long-term moral considerations in decision-making. The article highlights criticisms of effective altruism, including concerns about its reliance on statistical estimates and its potential to overlook systemic causes of social problems. It also suggests additional resources for further exploration of the topic. – AI-generated abstract.