Brain in a Vat
Effective Altruism and Making a Difference | Jacob Bauer

How should we allocate our donations to address global issues effectively? Jacob discusses the principles guiding Effective Altruism, the importance of evidence-based charitable giving, the ethical implications of supporting local versus global causes, and the challenges of predicting long-term impacts.
The episode also delves into the significant debate within the effective altruism community about how to prioritize immediate needs versus future generations, and the potential benefits and risks associated with artificial intelligence.
Join us for a compelling conversation about making the most impact with your altruistic efforts.
[00:00] Introduction to Effective Altruism
[00:07] Thought Experiment: Allocating a Billion Dollars
[01:18] Effective Altruism: Head and Heart Approach
[05:12] Frameworks for Effective Altruism
[06:27] Measuring Impact and Effectiveness
[13:30] Obligations and Moral Considerations
[16:28] Global Development and Animal Welfare
[31:05] Long-Termism and Future Generations
[52:23] AI: Potential and Risks
[57:26] Conclusion
Check out FeedSpot's list of 90 best philosophy podcasts, where Brain in a Vat is ranked at 15, here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/philosophy_podcasts/
- Broadcast on:
- 23 Mar 2025
How should we allocate our donations to address global issues effectively? Jacob discusses the principles guiding Effective Altruism, the importance of evidence-based charitable giving, the ethical implications of supporting local versus global causes, and the challenges of predicting long-term impacts.
The episode also delves into the significant debate within the effective altruism community about how to prioritize immediate needs versus future generations, and the potential benefits and risks associated with artificial intelligence.
Join us for a compelling conversation about making the most impact with your altruistic efforts.
[00:00] Introduction to Effective Altruism
[00:07] Thought Experiment: Allocating a Billion Dollars
[01:18] Effective Altruism: Head and Heart Approach
[05:12] Frameworks for Effective Altruism
[06:27] Measuring Impact and Effectiveness
[13:30] Obligations and Moral Considerations
[16:28] Global Development and Animal Welfare
[31:05] Long-Termism and Future Generations
[52:23] AI: Potential and Risks
[57:26] Conclusion
Check out FeedSpot's list of 90 best philosophy podcasts, where Brain in a Vat is ranked at 15, here: https://podcast.feedspot.com/philosophy_podcasts/