ALTRUISM: March 2023 podcast playlist

Altruism seems like such a no-brainer good idea. Give to those in need. Give to charities. But, every dollar we give to one person or organization is a dollar we potentially don’t give to another. And, what makes humans altruistic in the first place? Is it our culture and higher order society that brings about these qualities or is there an underlying reason dictated by evolutionary biology? This playlist explores the pros and cons of effective altruism, direct cash giving, and the view of altruism from the perspective of evolutionary biology.

Podcast Playlist on ALTRUISM

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Analysis: “Can Effective Altruism really change the world?” (October 2022, 29 min)
If you want to do good in the world, should you be a doctor, or an aid worker? Or should you make a billion or two any way you can, and give it to good causes? Effective altruists argue this is the best use of wealth. But philosophers argue charitable giving is often driven not by logic, but by a sense of personal attachment. David Edmonds traces the latest developments in the effective altruism movement, examining the questions they pose, and looking at the successes and limitations.

Humanize Me: “804: How to think about Effective Altruism” (February 2023, 43 min)
With the fall of one of effective altruism’s star advocates, cryptocurrency exchange owner Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), how should we think about the movement?

Future Perfect: “How to save a stranger’s life” (October 2018, 24 min)
In 2016, Dylan Matthews donated his kidney to a complete stranger. He didn’t think he was doing anything really extreme or remarkable. He was just trying to do the most good he could. Dylan was taking part in a movement called effective altruism, a community that tries to maximize the good you do.

Species: “Altruism’s Allure” (January 2022, 24 min)
Why do bad animals do good things? In this episode, Macken discusses some of the main reasons why humans do good, and dives into one of the little-known benefits of altruism.

Giving Done Right: “Giving Cash to Those in Need” (November 2021, 44 min)
A discussion with Paul Niehaus, co-founder and chairman of GiveDirectly. Paul discusses the power of direct cash transfers – how they work, why trusting those in need with cash can be extremely effective, and when certain issue areas might warrant a different philanthropic approach.

Bonus podcast episodes:

• Stuff You Should Know: “How Effective Altruism Works” (March 2022, 48 min)
  A branch of philanthropy led by philosophers is dedicated to finding the most impactful ways to help humans survive and thrive. Anyone can find that agreeable, but it can be tough to hear it also means your donations to local charities are kind of a waste.
• Tiny Spark: “Good Deeds in Cold Blood: Extreme Altruists” (October 2015, 18 min)
  Would you consider giving most of your money to charity? Donate your kidney to a stranger? New Yorker staff writer Larissa MacFarquhar talks extreme altruists.
• The Daily Stoic: “Peter Singer on Practicing Effective Altruism Daily” (December 2022, 1 hr 5 min)
  Ryan speaks with professor of moral philosophy, author, and activist Peter Singer about the 10th anniversary edition of his book The Life You Can Save: How to Do Your Part to End World Poverty, how Peter’s views on charitable giving have changed throughout the years, the connections between Effective Altruism and Stoicism, applying ethical philosophy to issues in our daily lives, and more. Singer is an Australian professor of moral philosophy who specializes in applied ethics. He is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, and the founder of the Centre for Human Bioethics at Monash University. He is the author of numerous books and essays focusing on ethics, bioethics, global poverty, and animal rights, including The Most Good You Can Do, Famine, Affluence, and Morality, and Animal Liberation. Peter is most known for developing and promoting Effective Altruism, the argument that effective giving involves balancing empathy with reason. In 2021, he won the esteemed Berggruen Prize for his work in the field of philosophy, and was awarded one million dollars, all of which he donated to charity.
• The Gray Area with Sean Illing: “Can effective altruism be redeemed?” (January 2023, 1 hr 3 min)
  Guest host Sigal Samuel talks with Holden Karnofsky about effective altruism, a movement flung into public scrutiny with the collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried and his crypto exchange, FTX. They discuss EA’s approach to charitable giving, the relationship between effective altruism and the moral philosophy of utilitarianism, and what reforms might be needed for the future of the movement.
• Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris: “491: A New Way to Think About Your Money | William MacAskill” (August 2022, 1 hr 4 min)
  Most of us worry about money sometimes, but what if we changed the way we thought about our relationship to finances? The guest on this episode, William MacAskill, offers a framework in which to do just that. He calls it effective altruism. One of the core arguments of effective altruism is that we all ought to consider giving away a significant chunk of our income because we know, to a mathematical near certainty, that several thousand dollars could save a life. MacAskill talks about the whys and wherefores of effective altruism. This includes how to get started on a very manageable and doable level (which does not require you to give away most of your income), and the benefits this practice has on both the world and your own psyche. MacAskill is an associate professor of philosophy at Oxford University and one of the founders of the effective altruism movement. He has a new book out called,
• Today, Explained: “What do we owe future humans?” (August 2022, 28 min)
  A new wave of philanthropists wants to make charity more effective. They’re focused not just on the present day but also thousands of years into the future. Vox’s Dylan Matthews explains how “effective altruism” became a multibillion-dollar philanthropic force.

Conversation Starter Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on effective altruism?
2. How do you approach giving to causes? Is it strategic or random? Do you research the organizations you give to?
3. How much of your giving is guided by your own personal experience?
4. How do you feel about giving direct cash to those in need?