Very Bad Wizards

Episode 147: Effective Altruism and Moral Uncertainty (with The One True Scotsman, Will MacAskill)


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Oxford philosophy professor Will MacAskill joins us to talk about effective altruism, moral uncertainty, and why you shouldn't eat your grandmother (even if consequentialism is true). How should we act when we're not sure which moral theory is the right one? Can we formulate a guide for behavior, modeled on decision theory, that maximizes expected moral value? How do we assign credences to ethical (as opposed to empirical) claims? Why has effective altruism become so popular, so fast, yet at the same time seem off-putting to many people? Plus, Tamler faces a dilemma when narrating his audiobook, and Dave is the Louis CK of his own backyard.

0:00 - 25:41 Tamler's dilemma and Guilty Confessions.

25:41 -31:15 Break, contact info, updates, thanks to our listeners and supporters.

31:16 -1:43:19 Wil MacAskill interview.

Special Guest: William MacAskill.

Support Very Bad Wizards

Links:

  • William MacAskill homepage
  • The Most Efficient Way to Save a Life - The Atlantic
  • Doing Good Better: How Effective Altruism Can Help You Help Others, Do Work that Matters, and Make Smarter Choices about Giving Back [amazon.com affiliate link]
  • Moral uncertainty - Effective Altruism Concepts
  • 80,000 Hours: How to make a difference with your career
  • Giving What We Can
...more
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