Description
Does Effective Altruism Need God? Host of Unbelievable Dr. John Nelson is joined by Princeton philosopher Matthew Adelstein and Christian charity leader JD Bauman to explore effective altruism, the movement asking how we can do the most good with our money, careers and lives.
Could smarter giving save more children from preventable diseases? Would Jesus have been an effective altruist? Should Christians prioritise evangelism over humanitarian aid? When you give to charity, how do you know your money is actually making a difference? Should anyone be expected to give away 10% or more of their income for the greater good?
And in a remarkable disagreement, Matthew defends his controversial argument that the suffering of insects could matter more than all human suffering combined.
0:00 Introduction to Effective Altruism
1:31 The core idea of Effective altruism
3:54 Philosophy behind Effective Altruism
5:34 Christian perspectives on Effective Altruism
7:48 Reason, evidence, and faith
12:46 Jesus and effective altruism
17:15 Ethics and moral intentions
20:11 Prioritizing different goods
22:37 Strategies for mission and aid
25:53 Insects and moral importance
34:11 Theological challenges of Effective Altruism
38:09 Eternal stakes vs. temporal aid
41:51 Practical application for animals
47:40 Theology of moral intuition
51:51 Giving and personal sacrifice
56:50 Special obligations and Effective Altruism
1:01:34 Future steps for effective aid
From AI risks and factory farming to the Good Samaritan, this conversation challenges what it really means to love your neighbour.
Would you give away 10% of your income if you believed it could save lives?
Tell us in the comments.
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Read John Nelson's substack https://substack.com/@behindthegospels
Read Matthew Adelstein's substack on EA https://matthewadelstein.com/
For more on JD Bauman https://www.eaforchristians.org/team