Philosophy
The Ethics of Philanthropy and Effective Altruism
Quick fact
Effective altruism, a philosophy popularized by Peter Singer, argues that a donation to fight malaria in Africa can be thousands of times more impactful than a donation to the arts, prompting a moral demand to give wherever the marginal benefit is greatest, even if it feels counterintuitive.
Why this is interesting
We often applaud billionaires for their philanthropy, but is charity a moral obligation or a mere virtue? And what if the most effective way to help isn't what we expect?