This is nitpicky, but I wouldn’t call that “an obscure academic screed”:
It was written by Charity Navigator leadership, who presumably felt threatened or something by GiveWell. So I think it was more like a non-profit turf war thing than an academic debate.
I wasn’t around at the time, but I have the impression that it was pretty (in)famous in EA circles at the time. Among other things it prompted a response by Will MacAskill. So it also feels wrong to call it obscure.
This is nitpicky, but I wouldn’t call that “an obscure academic screed”:
It was written by Charity Navigator leadership, who presumably felt threatened or something by GiveWell. So I think it was more like a non-profit turf war thing than an academic debate.
I wasn’t around at the time, but I have the impression that it was pretty (in)famous in EA circles at the time. Among other things it prompted a response by Will MacAskill. So it also feels wrong to call it obscure.