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Dias comments on 'Effective Altruism' as utilitarian equivocation. - Less Wrong Discussion

1 Post author: Dias 24 November 2013 06:35PM

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Tags: effective_altruism ethics

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Comment author: Dias 26 November 2013 03:48:58AM *  2 points [-]

I would or recognize as 'EA' actions and organizations that are ethical through ways other than producing welfare/happiness, as long as they apply rationality to doing good.

You're a CEA employee, if I remember correctly? If so, your account of effective altruism seems rather different from Will's: "Maybe you want to do other things effectively, but then it's not effective altruism". This sort of mixed messaging is exactly what I was objecting too.

I would be interested to hear an elaboration of why a promise keeping charity is the best thing to do

I'm far from certain it is. But as far as I'm aware no effort at all is put into it at present, so there could be very low hanging fruit.

Comment author: weeatquince 02 December 2013 11:37:33PM *  0 points [-]

This sort of mixed messaging is exactly what I was objecting too

Firstly could you elaborate on how what I said differs from what Will has said please. I am fairly sure we both agree with what EA is.

You're a CEA employee

Incorrect although I do volunteer for them in ways that help spread EA.

Comment author: wdmacaskill 26 November 2013 03:40:08PM 0 points [-]

your account of effective altruism seems rather different from Will's: "Maybe you want to do other things effectively, but >then it's not effective altruism". This sort of mixed messaging is exactly what I was objecting too.

I think you've revised the post since you initially wrote it? If so, you might want to highlight that in the italics at the start, as otherwise it makes some of the comments look weirdly off-base. In particular, I took the initial post to aim at the conclusion: 1. EA is utilitarianism in disguise which I think is demonstrably false.

But now the post reads more like the main conclusion is: 2. EA is vague on a crucial issue, which is whether the effective pursuit of non-welfarist goods counts as effective altruism. which is a much more reasonable thing to say.

Comment author: Dias 26 November 2013 11:42:25PM 1 point [-]

I haven't revised the post subsequent to anyone commenting. I did make a ninja edit to clear up some formatting immediately after submitting.

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