Most of us want to make a difference. We see suffering, injustice and death, and are moved to do something about them.
But working out what that ‘something’ is, let alone actually doing it, can be a difficult and disheartening challenge. There are so many problems in the world— where should we even begin? And how can we be sure our efforts are making a difference, when so many ways of doing good are ineffective?
Effective altruism is a response to this challenge. It’s both a research project, which aims to identify the most effective ways of doing good, and a practical community that aims to put those findings into practice.
Learn more with a free book
We’re giving away free copies of William MacAskill’s book, Doing Good Better, to help people learn more about effective altruism. (New Zealand mailing addresses only, sorry!)
Find out more and request your free copy below.
Where should we focus our efforts?
There are so many problems in the world that deciding what to work on can feel overwhelming. Should we focus on people or animals? Curing cancer or combatting climate change?
It can seem impossible to compare such different ways of doing good, but with sufficient evidence and careful reasoning, we can begin to answer these questions.
Dive deeper with a free online course
The Introductory EA Programme is an eight-week seminar guided by a facilitator. It’s an excellent opportunity for anyone around the world to engage intensively with the ideas of effective altruism through readings, videos, podcasts, exercises, and weekly group discussions. New programmes run every month.