It might be useful to note that from the context of the Kelsey Piper interview, “ethics” might have referred to the ethics of ’rule-following/deontology” (also noted here: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vjyWBnCmXjErAN6sZ/kelsey-piper-s-recent-interview-of-sbf?commentId=ZqbYkJrmeRNnmaoio). The part where he sounds like he’s talking about EA (he doesn’t mention EA directly in the video) would be consistent with that particular interpretation of “ethics was mostly a front”.
It might be useful to note that from the context of the Kelsey Piper interview, “ethics” might have referred to the ethics of ’rule-following/deontology” (also noted here: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/vjyWBnCmXjErAN6sZ/kelsey-piper-s-recent-interview-of-sbf?commentId=ZqbYkJrmeRNnmaoio). The part where he sounds like he’s talking about EA (he doesn’t mention EA directly in the video) would be consistent with that particular interpretation of “ethics was mostly a front”.