Effective altruism and our collective human heritage

Hosted by Jonathan Bastian Jun. 03, 2023 Psychology

“In my own case, I give away most of my income,” says philosopher Will MacAskill. “I really think that has a very limited impact on my own well being, but it does have an enormous impact on the world” Photo by Irina Strelnikova/Shutterstock.

*This episode originally aired on September 10, 2022.

Jonathan Bastian talks with Will MacAskill, associate professor in philosophy at the University of Oxford and author of “What We Owe The Future,” about effective altruism, longtermism, and why the future of humanity matters. Later, Tyrone McKinley Freeman, Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and author of “Madam C.J. Walker’s Gospel of Giving: Black Women’s Philanthropy during Jim Crow,” discusses the meaning of philanthropy and the African American history of charitable giving, through the life of Madam C.J. Walker, the early twentieth century Black philanthropist and entrepreneur.

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From this Episode:

What do we owe the future? One philosopher has a plan

Oxford University philosopher Will MacAskill argues that we can have a profoundly positive effect on the future of humanity.

33 min

The gospel of giving and the history of African American philanthropy

Professor of Philanthropic Studies Tyrone McKinley Freeman tells the story of the life and philanthropic work of Madam C.J. Walker, America’s first self-made Black...

19 min