My Answers for HWproj2

For your ethics-related term project (see “Course Information” tab for details): Let us continue to develop it step by step over the semester so that it will be manageable rather than a crunch at the end, as follows. Write up an outline or plan of 200 words or more (per person if a group project) if your progress involved developing content (for example, for a paper or a website) for your project. This can involve steps to take, structure of the paper, website or other creative product, or whatever is needed. Put this in your blog, labeling it consistently as in this example.

Answer: I will be writing a paper on the effective altruist movement. I’m not going to be using ChatGPT to generate content, but I will be planning on using it to help with style.  

·        Introduction:

o   Theme of the paper: The purpose of the essay is to explore the philosophy underlying the movement of effective altruism.

o   Brief definition: Effective altruism is a movement that encourages individuals to use evidence and reason to determine the most effective ways to improve the world.

o   Brief history: The history of the effective altruism movement will be briefly discussed.

·        Main Ideas:

o   Evidence-based approach: The main principles of effective altruism will be explored, including its reliance on evidence and the importance of achieving maximum marginal utility with scarce resources.

o   Quantitative: The role of quantitative metrics, such as quality adjusted life years, will be explained, as well as how decision theory relates to ethics and can make ethics mathematical.

·        Causes:

o   Examples of causes: The causes favored by effective altruist proponents, such as malaria nets, deworming, and vitamin supplements for poor children, will be discussed. The topic of maximizing one's career for ethical impact will also be covered.

o   Political activism: The role of political activism in effective altruism will be explored.

·        AI and Existential Risk:

o   Importance of AI and Existential Risk: Effective altruism views AI and Existential Risk as especially important concerns and the ethical issues surrounding these concerns will be discussed, including the alignment problem.

o   Effective altruist initiatives: The effective altruist initiatives aimed at reducing the risk from AI will be described.

·        Criticism:

o   Limitations of quantitative measurements: Criticisms of effective altruism, such as the limitations of quantitative measurements, will be explored and possible responses will be discussed.

o   Privileged perspective: The criticism that effective altruists maintain a privileged perspective that most of the world does not have the luxury of having will also be addressed.

·        Conclusion:

o   Key points: The key points of the essay will be summarized.

o   Future direction: The future direction of effective altruism will be discussed.