Video Series: Walter Sinnott-Armstrong on Group Responsibility
Professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong (Duke University and Oxford Martin Visiting Fellow) argues that a group can be responsible for its actions even if no individual from within that group is responsible for those actions.
Five ways to become a really effective altruist
Written by Professor Julian Savulescu and Professor
This is a cross-post of an article which was originally published in The Conversation
Effective altruism is a philosophy and social movement which aims not only to increase charitable donations of time and money (and indeed more broadly to encourage leading a lifestyle which does good in the world), but also encourage the most effective use of these resources, usually by looking for measurable impacts such as lives saved per dollar.
For an effective altruist, the core question is: “Of all the possible ways to make a difference, how can I make the greatest difference?” It might be argued, for example, that charity work isn’t the best use of time; a talented financier may be better off working for a bank, and use their earnings to pay for others to work for charities instead. Continue reading
Video Series: Professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong on Conscientious Objection in Healthcare
Professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong (Duke University and Oxford Martin School Visiting Fellow) proposes to use the market forces to solve problems of conscientious objection in healthcare in the US. (He also has a suggestion for how to deal with conscientious objection in a public healthcare system + gives a controversial answer to my question regarding discriminatory treatment of patients.)
My Brain Made Me Do It — So What?
By Professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
Duke University
Vijeth: Where were you? You promised to drive me to the airport, but you never showed up, and I missed my flight. You haven’t even said sorry. Why did you let me down?
Felipe: I watched a movie instead. It was a romantic comedy. Don’t be angry with me.
Vijeth: You watched a movie! What kind of excuse is that?
Felipe: It’s the newest kind, a neural excuse. I really wanted to watch the movie, and my desires are lodged in my brain, so my brain made me do it. Continue reading
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