Effective altruism is a social movement and philosophy that advocates using reason and evidence to improve the lives of others.

 

Most of us want to make the world a better place. 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. Effective altruism is a response to this challenge.

Effective altruism is an intellectual project that advocates using reason and evidence to figure out how best to do good. It is also a global social movement of people committed to using this approach to help others.

Members of the effective altruist community come from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, but share a desire to do the most good possible with the resources available. This means using evidence and careful analysis to find the very best causes to work on.

 
 

Guiding Principles

  • Commitment to others

  • Scientific mindset

  • Openness

  • Integrity

  • Collaborative spirit

Example Cause Areas

  • Global health

  • AI safety

  • Biosecurity

  • Climate change

  • Animal welfare

 

Want to learn more?

Effective Altruism Handbook: A booklet that covers the core concepts in effective altruism in a mixture of essays and conference talk adaptations.

80,000 Hours: A nonprofit that researches high-impact ways of working on pressing global challenges and provides detailed career advice in multiple cause areas.

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Introduction to Effective Altruism: A brief essay that summarizes the basic ideas of effective altruism and provides and overview of promising causes.