Giving Thought

In episode 39 we look at the relationship between philanthropy and empathy. Including: -What does neuroscience tell us about the link between empathy and altruism? -The importance of physical proximity -Does empathy lead us to prioritise giving to those who are sufficiently “like us”, at the expense of others? -How do our unconscious biases affect our empathy? The identifiable victim bias and victim blaming. -Is empathy in tension with rationality when it comes to philanthropy? -Historical examples of approaches to philanthropy that lacked empathy: home visitations, voting charities and “telescopic philanthropy” -Rationality vs empathy throughout history: from the Charity Organization Societies to Effective Altruism? -What impact will technology have on our ability to be empathetic in future? -How can Virtual Reality be used to drive empathetic responses from donors and supporters? -Will tech-enabled ‘filter bubbles’ negatively affect our ability to empathise? -Rationality vs Empathy 2.0? Will philanthropy in