Giving Thought

In episode 54, we take a look at Effective Altruism. Why has this approach to philanthropy based on utilitarian philosophy gained so many admirers - and so many critics - over the last few years? Including:   -What is Effective Altruism (EA)? -How is it informing new approaches to philanthropy? -Why are so many tech philanthropists EA advocates? -Could the emergence of data-driven, AI approaches to philanthropy put EA in the driving seat? -What is the historical lineage of Utilitarian thinking? -What role did religion play in giving birth to the idea that philanthropy needs to be effective? -How did the Charity Organization Society and the Scientific Philanthropy movements take this idea forward, and are they the intellectual forebears of EA? -What, if anything, is genuinely new about EA? -Is EA merely theoretical because it doesn't reflect how philanthropy actually works or what motivates donors? -Does the focus on outcomes come at the expense of other considerations such as justice, democracy or individual