Doing Good Better: Effective Altruism and a Radical New Way to Make a Difference
William MacAskill
Aug 2015 · Guardian Faber Publishing
4.6star
16 reviewsreport
Ebook
272
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About this ebook
A radical reassessment of how we can most effectively help others by a rising star of philosophy and leading social entrepreneur.
'A surprising and often counterintuitive look at the best ways to make a difference . . . MacAskill is that rarest of beasts: a do-gooder who uses his head more than his heart.'
SUNDAY TIMES
Most of us want to make a difference. We donate to charity, buy Fairtrade coffee, or try to cut down on our carbon emissions. Rarely do we know if we're really helping, and despite our best intentions, our actions can have ineffective - and sometimes downright harmful - outcomes. Confronting this problem, William MacAskill developed the concept of effective altruism, a practical, data-driven approach which shows that each of us has the power to do an astonishing amount of good, given the right information. His conclusions are often surprising; by examining the charities we give to, the goods we buy and the careers we pursue, Doing Good Better is a fascinating and original guide which shows how, through simple actions, you can improve thousands of lives - including your own.
'A data nerd after my own heart.'
BILL GATES
'Required reading for anyone interested in making the world better.'
STEVEN LEVITT, co-author of Freakonomics
'Effective altruism - efforts that actually help people rather than making you feel good or helping you show off - is one of the great new ideas of the 21st century. Doing Good Better is the definitive guide to this exciting new movement.'
STEVEN PINKER, author of The Better Angels of Our Nature
'A surprising and often counterintuitive look at the best ways to make a difference . . . MacAskill is that rarest of beasts: a do-gooder who uses his head more than his heart.'
SUNDAY TIMES
Most of us want to make a difference. We donate to charity, buy Fairtrade coffee, or try to cut down on our carbon emissions. Rarely do we know if we're really helping, and despite our best intentions, our actions can have ineffective - and sometimes downright harmful - outcomes. Confronting this problem, William MacAskill developed the concept of effective altruism, a practical, data-driven approach which shows that each of us has the power to do an astonishing amount of good, given the right information. His conclusions are often surprising; by examining the charities we give to, the goods we buy and the careers we pursue, Doing Good Better is a fascinating and original guide which shows how, through simple actions, you can improve thousands of lives - including your own.
'A data nerd after my own heart.'
BILL GATES
'Required reading for anyone interested in making the world better.'
STEVEN LEVITT, co-author of Freakonomics
'Effective altruism - efforts that actually help people rather than making you feel good or helping you show off - is one of the great new ideas of the 21st century. Doing Good Better is the definitive guide to this exciting new movement.'
STEVEN PINKER, author of The Better Angels of Our Nature
Ratings and reviews
4.6
16 reviews
Amy Dongol
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April 26, 2018
For anyone who wants to leave the world in a better place than in which
they found it, this book offers a refreshing mix of optimism and
pragmatism. With a reassuringly thorough amount of research to back up it's
claims, this book will show the huge impact philanthropy can have on the
world, and the surprisingly large impact you can have if you carefully
consider how you go about making that difference. I finished this book much
more informed about how I could make a difference than when I started it.
1 person found this review helpful
Michel Justen
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November 17, 2021
Great book that can help you, well, do good... better!
About the author
William MacAskill is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford and co-founder of non-profits Giving What We Can and 80,000 Hours, which inspire people to use their time and money as effectively as possible to fight the world's most pressing problems. Between them they have raised over $12 million for the most cost-effective charities plus a further $380 million in lifetime pledges. He and his organisations have been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Today programme, and on Fox News, NPR and TED.
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