Doing good better : effective altruism and a radical new way to make a difference / William MacAskill.

  • MacAskill, William, 1987-
Date:
2015
  • Books

About this work

Description

Almost all of us want to make a difference. So we volunteer, donate to charity, recycle or try to cut down our carbon emissions. But rarely do we know how much of a difference we're really making. In a remarkable re-examination of the evidence, Doing Good Better reveals why buying sweatshop-produced goods benefits the poor; why cosmetic surgeons can do more good than charity workers; and why giving to a relief fund is generally not the best way to help after a natural disaster. By examining the charities you give to, the volunteering you do, the goods you buy and the career you pursue, this fascinating and often surprising guide shows how through simple actions you can improve thousands of lives - including your own.

Publication/Creation

London : Guardian Books : Faber & Faber, 2015.

Physical description

x, 325 pages : illustrations, charts ; 22 cm

Bibliographic information

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents

Machine generated contents note: How can you do the most good? -- 1.You Are the 1% -- Just how much can you achieve? -- pt. I The Five Key Questions of Effective Altruism -- 2.Hard Trade-offs -- Key question 1 How many people benefit, and by how much? -- 3.How You Can Save Hundreds of Lives -- Key question 2 Is this the most effective thing you can do? -- 4.Why You Shouldn't Donate to Disaster Relief -- Key question 3 Is this area neglected? -- 5.The Best Person Who Ever Lived is an Unknown Ukrainian Man -- Key question 4 What would have happened otherwise? -- 6.Why Voting Is Like Donating Thousands of Dollars to Charity -- Key question 5 What are the chances of success, and how good would success be? -- pt. II Effective Altruism in Action -- 7.Overhead Costs, CEO Pay and Other Confusions -- Which charities make the most difference? -- 8.The Moral Case for Sweatshop Goods -- How can consumers make the most difference? -- 9.Don't ̀Follow Your Passion' --
Note continued: Which careers make the most difference? -- 10.Poverty vs Climate Change vs -- Which cause should you focus on? -- Conclusion: Becoming an Effective Altruist -- What should you do right now? -- Appendix: Summary -- Thinking like an effective altruist.

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatus
    History of Medicine
    PQZ /MAC
    Open shelves

Permanent link

Identifiers

ISBN

  • 9781783350490
  • 1783350490