“Ineffective Altruism” with Leif Wenar
Summary
Hosts Geoff Howard and Emily McTernan interview Stanford philosopher Leif Wenar, who critiques effective altruism’s reliance on expected value calculations and its “hero” narrative. Wenar argues that this approach ignores the agency of aid recipients, downplays potential harms like overfishing from bed nets, and risks self-deception among donors. He also challenges longtermism for lacking accountability, urging a shift toward transparency and humility in charitable giving.
Topics discussed
Introduction to Effective Altruism and its recent controversies
Defining Effective Altruism: Expected value and moral constraints
Critique of the 'Shallow Pond' analogy and aid effectiveness
The 'Hero' narrative and misleading donor statistics
Agency, cash transfers, and the ethics of fundraising
Distinguishing philosophical norms from advocacy tactics
Longtermism, AI risk, and accountability for the future
EA community reactions and concluding thoughts on justice
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