Journal of Practical Ethics 4 (1) (2016)
Abstract |
Altruism is embedded in our biology and in our culture. We offer our bus seats
to the disabled and elderly, give directions to disoriented tourists, and donate a
portion of our income charity. Yet for all the good it does, there are deep problems
with altruism as it is practiced today. Nearly all of us, when asked, will say that we
care about practicing altruism in a way that effectively improves the lives of others.
Almost none of us, when asked, can honestly say that we have made a serious effort
to ensure that we are practicing altruism in a way that effectively improves the lives
of others. Disparities like these are indicative of flaws in our cognitive architecture -
biases which ensure that the traditional practice of altruism is incongruous with our
own values. This disconnect between our values and our actions causes our altruistic
efforts to help fewer people to a lesser extent than they otherwise could. I argue that
traditional altruism is in need of reformation and defend a social and philosophical
movement aimed at achieving this reformation known as effective altruism. The
reason effective altruism is such a promising alternative to traditional altruism is its
application of economic thinking to the realm of altruism and morality. An economist’s
mentality is, I suggest, a necessary instrument for bridging the gap between our
values and our actions, allowing us to practice altruism in a way that more effectively
improves the lives of others.
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References found in this work BETA
Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them.Joshua Greene - 2013 - Penguin Press.
Famine, Affluence, and Morality.Peter Singer - 1985 - In Lawrence A. Alexander (ed.), International Ethics: A Philosophy and Public Affairs Reader. Princeton University Press. pp. 247-262.
A Hot/Cool-System Analysis of Delay of Gratification: Dynamics of Willpower.Janet Metcalfe & Walter Mischel - 1999 - Psychological Review 106 (1):3-19.
View all 7 references / Add more references
Citations of this work BETA
The Philosophical Core of Effective Altruism.Brian Berkey - 2021 - Journal of Social Philosophy 52 (1):93-115.
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