Effective Altruism: An Introduction

As the world faces increasingly complex problems – from pandemics to global poverty and climate change – how do we decide where to concentrate our efforts and resources to do the most good possible? Effective altruism offers a way to do just that, focusing on evidence and rational arguments to identify crucial issues and the most impactful ways of solving them. In this new book, philosopher Jacob Bauer cuts through the uncritical hype and wholesale dismissal around effective altruism to offer a balanced overview of this movement’s core concepts and approaches to “doing good better.” With examples spanning malaria-preventing bed nets to the dangers of AI, he illuminates how effective altruism is addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems, all the while acknowledging its real limitations and showcasing its immense promise.  Whether you are a skeptic or a new adherent seeking to understand the philosophy and community of effective altruism, this book is the definitive guide.

Table of Contents:
Boxes, Figures and Tables Introduction 1: The Urgency of Effective Altruism: Pandemics and Prioritization 2: Global Poverty: You CAN Make a Difference                                                              3: Weighing Uncertainties: Should You be Vegan?                                                        4: Systemic Change and Moral Pitfalls: Combatting Climate Change 5: Can Your Career Save the World? Nuclear Weapons and Existential Risk  6: High Risks and Rewards: AI and Longtermism                                                            7: Making a Difference Through Effective Altruism Endnotes

About the Author :
Jacob Bauer is a lecturer in the philosophy department at the University of Dayton. He teaches, researches and writes in the areas of normative ethics, professional ethics, effective altruism, philosophy of religion, philosophy of nonviolence and philosophy of science fiction. His new book Effective Altruism: An Introduction, will be published in 2024.

Review :
“Effective altruism is an approach to how we should live that is the basis of a growing social movement. Jacob Bauer's outstanding introduction will explain it to those unfamiliar with it, while those who are already effective altruists can also learn from it, as I did.” Peter Singer, Princeton University, and author of Animal Liberation, The Life You Can Save and The Most Good You Can Do “A clear and comprehensive introduction to effective altruism – the project of identifying the best ways to help others. This book covers the key concepts of the effective altruism movement as it exists today, woven together in a clear, practical framework.” Benjamin Todd, founder of 80,000 Hours and lead author of 80,000 Hours: Find a Fulfilling Career that Does Good “Without skimping on clarity or rigor, Bauer succinctly covers key effective altruism themes in this short book. By pairing EA cause areas with theoretical questions, he makes complicated ideas accessible.” Amy Berg, Oberlin College "Effective Altruism directs us to think carefully and systematically about the world's most pressing problems. This textbook explains how. It provides a wide-ranging and up-to-date account of how Effective Altruists seek to improve the world—and how you could, too." Richard Yetter Chappell, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Miami “This book serves as an excellent introduction to the ideas of effective altruism. It does a great job of explaining complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner, while providing numerous helpful examples and making the content accessible to an audience that is new to this way of thinking.” Spencer Greenberg, founder of ClearerThinking.org