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.

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.

Introduction

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Hilary Greaves ◽  
Theron Pummer
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Helping Others ◽  
The World ◽  
Multiple Orders ◽  
Effective Altruism

The two key ideas of effective altruism are represented in its name. Altruism: If we use a significant portion of the resources in our possession—whether money, time, or talents—with a view to helping others, we can improve the world considerably. Effectiveness: When we do put such resources to altruistic use, it is crucial to focus on how much good this or that intervention is reasonably expected to do per unit of resource expended (for example, how many lives are saved, in expectation, per $1,000 donated). How wisely one chooses among available interventions tends to matter far more than how large a pot of resources one is willing to assign for altruistic purposes. Even setting aside those interventions that, while well-intentioned, turn out to be useless or even counterproductive—the familiar theme of the “aid scepticism” literature—interventions routinely vary in cost-effectiveness by multiple orders of magnitude....

Effective Altruism

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Global Poverty ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Helping Others ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Effective Altruism

The effective altruism movement consists of a growing global community of people who organize significant parts of their lives around two key ideas, represented in its name. Altruism: If we use a significant portion of the resources in our possession—whether money, time, or talents—with a view to helping others, we can improve the world considerably. Effectiveness: When we do put such resources to altruistic use, it is crucial to focus on how much good this or that intervention is reasonably expected to do per unit of resource expended (for example, per dollar donated). While global poverty is a widely used case study in introducing and motivating effective altruism, if the ultimate aim is to do the most good one can with the resources expended, it is far from obvious that global poverty alleviation is highest priority cause area. In addition to ranking possible poverty-alleviation interventions against one another, we can also try to rank interventions aimed at very different types of outcome against one another. This includes, for example, interventions focusing on animal welfare or future generations. The scale and organization of the effective altruism movement encourage careful dialogue on questions that have perhaps long been there, throwing them into new and sharper relief, and giving rise to previously unnoticed questions. In the present volume, the first of its kind, a group of internationally recognized philosophers, economists, and political theorists contribute in-depth explorations of issues that arise once one takes seriously the twin ideas of altruistic commitment and effectiveness.

Principles of Cost-Effective Resource Allocation in Health Care organizations

1990 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milton C. Weinstein
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Health Care Organizations ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Common Understanding ◽  
Analytical Errors

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is a method of economic evaluation that can be used to assess the efficiency with which health care technologies use limited resources to produce health outputs. However, inconsistencies in the way that such ratios are constructed often lead to misleading conclusions when CEAs are compared. Some of these inconsistencies, such as failure to discount or to calculate incremental ratios correctly, reflect analytical errors that, if corrected, would resolve the inconsistencies. Others reflect fundamental differences in the viewpoint of the analysis. The perspectives of different decision-making entities can properly lead to different items in the numerator and denominator of the cost-effectiveness (C/E) ratio. Producers and consumers of CEA need to be more conscious of the perspectives of analysis, so that C/E comparisons from a given perspective are based upon a common understanding of the elements that are properly included.

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.

Contraception of prepubertal young can increase cost effectiveness of management of overabundant koala populations

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 317
Author(s):  
Emily F. Hynes ◽  
Geoff Shaw ◽  
Marilyn B. Renfree ◽  
Kathrine A. Handasyde
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Wildlife Management ◽  
Sexual Maturation ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Management Scenarios ◽  
Structured Population ◽  
Population Reduction ◽  
Contraceptive Implants ◽  
Management And Conservation

Context With limited resources for wildlife management and conservation, it is vital that the effectiveness of management programs is maximised and costs reduced. Koala populations need to be reduced in locations where they are locally overabundant and over-browsing their food trees. Subcutaneous contraceptive implants containing levonorgestrel are currently used to control koala fertility to assist in reducing population densities. Dependent young are caught with their mothers, so are also available for contraception. Aims The overall aim was to investigate whether the effectiveness of koala contraception programs can be improved by administering levonorgestrel implants to female young along with their mothers. This was achieved by: (1) determining if implanting females before sexual maturation affects their fertility, growth and pouch development; and (2) developing a stage-structured population growth model to compare two management scenarios. Methods Juvenile female koalas (11–17 months old) were treated with either a control (n = 5) or 70 mg levonorgestrel implant (n = 5). Koalas were caught every 4 to 6 weeks for 15 months, then every 3 to 12 months for 5 years. Koalas were weighed and head length measured. Pouches were checked for young. Pouch development was assessed as a proxy for sexual maturation. A stage-based population model simulating koala population growth was developed to compare different management scenarios: no treatment; treatment of adults only; and treatment of adults plus their dependent young. Key results Levonorgestrel implants prevented births with no effect on growth, survival or timing of sexual maturation. Population growth simulations indicate that treating dependent young with their mothers results in earlier population reduction. Conclusions The treatment of prepubertal female koalas with levonorgestrel implants is a safe and effective method that increases the effectiveness of koala contraception programs. Implications Development of novel strategies may provide opportunities to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of management programs with constrained resources.

scholarly journals WHO SHOULD CONDUCT MODELING AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS?

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-129
Author(s):  
Måns Rosén
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Ageing Populations

In some countries, reimbursement of drugs is based on cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), in others not. In times of ageing populations, increasing number of possible interventions, and limited resources, it seems likely that CEA will be more and more important as a basis for decision making.

scholarly journals Practical Implications of Differential Discounting of Costs and Health Effects in Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1173-1174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tjalke A. Westra ◽  
Mehraj B.Y. Parouty ◽  
Jan C. Wilschut ◽  
Cornelis Boersma ◽  
Maarten J. Postma
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Practical Implications

scholarly journals Climate justice: contested discourse and social transformation

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eurig Scandrett
Keyword(s):  
Social Movement ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Climate Justice ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Material Interests ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to argue that climate justice constitutes a contested discourse reflecting the material interests of social groups that contribute to its production. For climate justice to have integrity, it must be rooted in the material interests of those social groups negatively affected by, and engaged in struggles against, the hydrocarbon economy. The paper locates contestation of discourse production in an understanding of social movement processes. Design/methodology/approach The paper is a theoretical contribution to the debate about climate justice, drawing on data (published and unpublished) from Scotland. Findings The paper concludes that scholars engaged in climate justice work should have consideration to the material interest embedded in the discourse. The pedagogical and dialogical work of engagement with the militant particularism of local struggles against the hydrocarbon industry is an important contribution to discourse construction, and ultimately social transformation is required to achieve climate justice. Research limitations/implications This is primarily a theoretical paper, although it draws on limited case study data from environmental conflicts in Scotland. Practical implications The argument has practical implications for work in climate justice, including research, policy development and social movement mobilisation. Social implications This is intended as a contribution to the social transformation required to achieve climate justice. Originality/value The paper draws on existing theoretical frameworks, especially Marxian approaches to discourse and social movement studies, to critique and contribute to the newly developing field of climate justice.

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