Philosophy is a field oriented towards investigating the most general and abstract features of the world. In effective altruism, discussions often focus on moral philosophy in particular. Work in effective altruism often raises questions like:

• What is ‘good’?

• Which ethical theory should we follow?

• Do humans have a duty to do good?

• Is there a “true morality”?

• How should we deal with moral and epistemic uncertainty?

Philosophy can help answer these questions. Philosophical ideas or areas that are relevant to effective altruism include:

• consequentialism (in particular utilitarianism): many EAs want to maximise the good according to consequentialist moral theories

• longtermism: the theory that positively influencing the future must be a key moral priority, because of the future’s likely scale

• population ethics: should we care about making people happy, or making happy people? Is it better to have more people who are less happy, or fewer people who are happier?

• epistemology, for example Bayesian epistemology (a theory for how to update our beliefs in the light of new evidence)

• decision theory

Some academic philosophers, for example Peter Singer, Will MacAskill, Hilary Greaves, Nick Beckstead, and Toby Ord, have been very influential in effective altruism.

Academic philosophy as a career

80,000 Hours’ shallow profile rates philosophy as a “sometimes recommended” career. Academic philosophy is highly competitive, but philosophers have the potential to do important research in neglected areas, and effective advocacy through teaching or public engagement.^[1]

Further reading

Beckstead, Nicholas (2013) On the overwhelming importance of shaping the far future (PhD thesis)

Greaves, Hilary (2023) Hilary Greaves’ home page

MacAskill, William (2012a) How to be a high impact philosopher, 80,000 Hours, May 8.

MacAskill, William (2012b) How to be a high impact philosopher, part II, 80,000 Hours, September 27.

MacAskill, William Research page

Nagel, Thomas (1987) What Does It All Mean? A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ord, Toby (2013) The moral imperative towards cost-effectiveness in global health, Center for Global Development

Plant, Michael (2019) Doing good badly? Philosophical issues related to effective altruism (PhD thesis)

Singer, Peter (1972) Famine, affluence and morality (Philosophy and Public Affairs)

Srinivasan, Amia (2015) Stop the robot apocalypse (London Review of Books)

Related entries

moral philosophy | philosophy of effective altruism | philosophy of mind

1. ^

   Koehler, Arden & William MacAskill (2019) Philosophy academia, 80,000 Hours, August.