Effective altruism is about doing good better
Effective altruism is a research field and practical community that aims to find the best ways to help others, and put them into practice.
The world is changing in important ways; we can contribute to real progress, but we must also reduce the new risks that come with it.
What is effective altruism?
Everyone wants to do good, but many ways of doing good are ineffective. The EA community is focused on finding ways of doing good that actually work.
This led to many ideas like the following:
- It’s critical to pay attention to how many people are affected by a particular intervention. When we do this, it seems that some ways of doing good are over 100 times more effective than others.
- We should focus on problems that are important, neglected, and tractable
- We can do a lot of good with our careers.
- New technologies might threaten to wipe out life on earth, and reducing this risk might be a key priority.
- Some sentient beings are ignored because they don't look like us or are far away.
What has the effective altruism community done?
Effective altruism isn't one organization, it's a broad community of people working on a diverse set of projects with a common goal: doing as much good as possible. Below are some things people have done.
Prevented deaths from neglected diseases
Against Malaria FoundationProvided significant support to the Against Malaria Foundation that has distributed 200 million nets, likely preventing 150,000 deaths.
Founded an institute to research global priorities
Started Global Priorities Institute at University of Oxford, an interdisciplinary research centre, to identify the most pressing issues and how we might approach them.
Pushed for safer technological progress
CHAI, a research group at UC Berkeley, works to ensure that new artificial intelligence technologies benefit humanity rather than posing unacceptable risks.
Successfully campaigned against battery-cage factory farming
Open Wing AllianceCorporate campaigns and legal reforms with the Humane League and Mercy for Animals freed more than 100 million hens from battery cages.
Inspired early employees of the largest mobile money service in Senegal
WaveLincoln Quirk (Founder) and Ben Kuhn (CTO) decided to work on Wave to help unbanked people save money. The service now saves people in Senegal over $200 million every year.
Advocated for human challenge trials to understand COVID-19
1Day SoonerConvinced decision-makers to run trials, which deliberately expose volunteers to infection, to better understand how to stop COVID spread.
Research and ideas
Some of the writing and research that has influenced the movement the most.
Why this might be humanity’s most important century
Holden KarnofskyMany experts predict that powerful artificial intelligence will be developed this century. That would radically change society — and without careful thought, disastrously so.
Which charities improve global health the most per dollar?
GiveWellGiveWell's extensive research provides the gold-standard for the cost-effectiveness of public health interventions.
The case that career choice is your key moral decision
80,000 HoursYou'll probably spend half your waking hours on your career. That makes it your most valuable resource for doing good.
The possibility of an ongoing moral catastrophe
Evan G WilliamsMost past societies had norms that appear catastrophically wrong in retrospect. Are we any different?
What’s the chance of a great power war this century?
Stephen ClareWould a global conflict threaten the survival of human civilization? What can be done?
Receive a book of key effective altruism ideas
Below are some important books on the most pressing problems and how you can use your time and resources to make a difference. You can get a copy for free via the Impact Books program.
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An exploration of the risks society faces, their context in the greater story of humanity, and how ending these risks is among the most pressing moral issues of our time.
How to search for the truth instead of defending what you already believe.
How to find a fulfilling career that tackles the worlds most pressing problems, based on five years of research alongside academics at Oxford.
Why it’s so hard to build an AI that doesn’t accidentally destroy civilization, and what people are trying.
A book about how to really make a difference with your charitable giving and your career, from a co-founder of effective altruism.
Free online course
Take an online course to explore key ideas
The Introductory EA Program is an eight-week seminar guided by a facilitator.
Based on fellowships run at Stanford, Oxford, MIT and 20+ other universities around the world.Get Started
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