Executive summary: The post argues against veganism and deontological ethics, claiming that offsetting harm through effective donations is more impactful than avoiding meat consumption, and that deontological side-constraints are inconsistently applied and may prevent greater good through utility maximization.
Key points:
According to EA calculations, a $1,000 donation to animal welfare organizations can offset a lifetime of meat consumption, making veganism less efficient than earning-to-give strategies.
The indirect nature of harm from meat consumption is comparable to carbon emissions, yet EAs are more willing to offset the latter—suggesting inconsistent application of moral principles.
Deontological side-constraints (refusing to cause direct harm) may be selfish if they prevent greater positive impact through utility maximization.
The post identifies a key contradiction: deontologists inconsistently apply their principles to actions with butterfly effects, which all ultimately cause some form of harm.
The author questions whether personal moral purity (avoiding direct harm) should be sacrificed for greater overall positive impact.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, andcontact us if you have feedback.
Executive summary: The post argues against veganism and deontological ethics, claiming that offsetting harm through effective donations is more impactful than avoiding meat consumption, and that deontological side-constraints are inconsistently applied and may prevent greater good through utility maximization.
Key points:
According to EA calculations, a $1,000 donation to animal welfare organizations can offset a lifetime of meat consumption, making veganism less efficient than earning-to-give strategies.
The indirect nature of harm from meat consumption is comparable to carbon emissions, yet EAs are more willing to offset the latter—suggesting inconsistent application of moral principles.
Deontological side-constraints (refusing to cause direct harm) may be selfish if they prevent greater positive impact through utility maximization.
The post identifies a key contradiction: deontologists inconsistently apply their principles to actions with butterfly effects, which all ultimately cause some form of harm.
The author questions whether personal moral purity (avoiding direct harm) should be sacrificed for greater overall positive impact.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.