Collective Obligations and the Institutional Critique of Effective Altruism: A Reply to Alexander Dietz

Utilitas ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Berkey
Keyword(s):  
Social Movement ◽  
Recent Article ◽  
Institutional Critique ◽  
Effective Altruism

In a recent article in this journal, Alexander Dietz argues that what I have called the ‘institutional critique of effective altruism’ is best understood as grounded in the claim that ‘EA relies on an overly individualistic approach to ethics, neglecting the importance of our collective obligations’. In this reply, I argue that Dietz's view does not represent a plausible interpretation of the institutional critiques offered by others, primarily because, unlike Dietz, they appear to believe that their critiques provide reasons to reject the EA view about the content of our individual obligations. I also argue that EA's identity as a social movement provides grounds for denying Dietz's claim that it is objectionably incomplete.

scholarly journals Utility cascades

Analysis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-442
Author(s):  
Max Khan Hayward
Keyword(s):  
Social Movement ◽  
Institutional Critique ◽  
The Social ◽  
Effective Altruism ◽  
Practical Implications

Abstract Utility cascades occur when a utilitarian’s reduction of support for an intervention reduces the effectiveness of that intervention, leading the utilitarian to further reduce support, thereby further undermining effectiveness, and so on, in a negative spiral. This paper illustrates the mechanisms by which utility cascades occur, and then draws out the theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, utility cascades provide an argument that the utilitarian agent should sometimes either ignore evidence about effectiveness or fail to apportion support to effectiveness. Practically, utility cascades call upon utilitarians to rethink their relationship with the social movement known as Effective Altruism, which insists on the importance of seeking and being guided by evidence concerning effectiveness. This has particular implications for the ‘Institutional Critique’ of Effective Altruism, which holds that Effective Altruists undervalue political and systemic reforms. The problem of utility cascades undermines the Effective Altruist response to the Institutional Critique.

scholarly journals CHARITY. EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM

2021 ◽  
Vol 229 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-352
Author(s):  
ALYONA A. BATURINA ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Movement ◽  
Good Thing ◽  
Effective Altruism

Many households donate money emotionally and thoughtlessly. They believe that they are doing a good thing, but in most cases they are only doing harm. The article examines such a social movement as effective altruism, which is designed to solve this problem, is designed to make households donate money wisely and generally treat charity more rationally.

Beyond Moral Efficiency: Effective Altruism and Theorizing about Effectiveness

Utilitas ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-32
Author(s):  
Federico Zuolo
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Structural Change ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Conceptual Analysis ◽  
Practical Challenge ◽  
Effective Altruism

AbstractIn this article I provide a conceptual analysis of an underexplored issue in the debate about effective altruism: its theory of effectiveness. First, I distinguish effectiveness from efficiency and claim that effective altruism understands effectiveness through the lens of efficiency. Then, I discuss the limitations of this approach in particular with respect to the charge that it is incapable of supporting structural change. Finally, I propose an expansion of the notion of effectiveness of effective altruism by referring to the debate in political philosophy about realism and the practical challenge of normative theories. I argue that effective altruism, both as a social movement and as a conceptual paradigm, would benefit from clarifying its ideal, taking into account the role of institutions, and expanding its idea of feasibility.

The Institutional Critique of Effective Altruism

Utilitas ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRIAN BERKEY
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Change ◽  
Institutional Critique ◽  
The Core ◽  
Effective Altruism ◽  
Causes Of Poverty

In recent years, the effective altruism movement has generated much discussion about the ways in which we can most effectively improve the lives of the global poor, and pursue other morally important goals. One of the most common criticisms of the movement is that it has unjustifiably neglected issues related to institutional change that could address the root causes of poverty, and instead focused its attention on encouraging individuals to direct resources to organizations that directly aid people living in poverty. In this article, I discuss and assess this ‘institutional critique’. I argue that if we understand the core commitments of effective altruism in a way that is suggested by much of the work of its proponents, and also independently plausible, there is no way to understand the institutional critique such that it represents a view that is both independently plausible and inconsistent with the core commitments of effective altruism.

The Science of Effective Altruism

2020 ◽  
pp. 529-547
Author(s):  
Victor Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Moral Decision ◽  
Philosophical Theory ◽  
Moral Decision Making ◽  
Philosophical Discussion ◽  
Effective Altruism

This chapter evaluates effective altruism and its link to science. Contrary to much philosophical discussion, effective altruism is not tied essentially to utilitarianism and therefore does not suffer from the criticisms directed against utilitarianism. Prominent criticisms of effective altruism itself are unconvincing, since they identify remediable problems within the surrounding social movement and not problems essential to the theory itself. As a philosophical theory, effective altruism is worthy of allegiance because it strengthens a laudable connection between moral decision making and scientific evidence. Some philosophers and scientists believe that science supports utilitarianism, but their arguments are unpersuasive. Effective altruism is most plausible when it is divorced from utilitarianism. Despite that, effectice altruism can still encourage large and positive changes to our moral practices.

scholarly journals Effective Justice

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 398-415
Author(s):  
Roger Crisp ◽  
Theron Pummer
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Moral Reason ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Philosophical View ◽  
Helping Others ◽  
Effective Altruism ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Philosophical Understanding

Effective Altruism is a social movement which encourages people to do as much good as they can when helping others, given limited money, time, effort, and other resources. This paper first identifies a minimal philosophical view that underpins this movement, and then argues that there is an analogous minimal philosophical view which might underpin Effective Justice, a possible social movement that would encourage promoting justice most effectively, given limited resources. The latter minimal view reflects an insight about justice, and our non-diminishing moral reason to promote more of it, that surprisingly has gone largely unnoticed and undiscussed. The Effective Altruism movement has led many to reconsider how best to help others, but relatively little attention has been paid to the differences in degrees of cost-effectiveness of activities designed to decrease injustice. This paper therefore not only furthers philosophical understanding of justice, but has potentially major practical implications.

Effective Altruism and Systemic Change

Utilitas ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonin Broi
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Systemic Change ◽  
Theoretical Problem ◽  
Institutional Critique ◽  
The Core ◽  
Act Utilitarianism ◽  
Effective Altruism ◽  
Marginal Returns ◽  
Made In

One of the main objections against effective altruism (EA) is the so-called institutional critique, according to which the EA movement neglects interventions that affect large-scale institutions. Alexander Dietz has recently put forward an interesting version of this critique, based on a theoretical problem affecting act-utilitarianism, which he deems as potentially conclusive against effective altruism. In this article I argue that his critique is not as promising as it seems. I then go on to propose another version of the institutional critique. In contrast to Dietz's version, it targets not the core principles of effective altruism but rather some important methodological assumptions made in EA research, namely diminishing marginal returns and low-hanging fruits. One key conclusion is that it may be time for critics of effective altruism to shift their attention from the theoretical core principles of effective altruism towards the methodological tools actually employed in practice by the EA movement.

Die Bewegung für Klimagerechtigkeit und Energiedemokratie in Deutschland.

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (184) ◽  
pp. 403-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Sander
Keyword(s):  
Social Movements ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Movement Analysis ◽  
Climate Justice ◽  
Climate Politics ◽  
Historical Materialist

This article argues that social movement research must be renewed by a historical-materialist perspective to be able to understand the emergence and effects of the relatively new climate justice movement in Germany. The previous research on NGOs and social movements in climate politics is presented and the recent development of the climate justice movement in Germany is illustrated. In a final step two cases of climate movement campaigns are explained by means of the historical-materialist movement analysis proposed by the author.

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