Notes on Argument/ "The Why and How of Effective Altruism"

"THE WHY AND HOW OF EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM"  
Author: Peter Singer
Source/Publisher: TED talks; Date: March 2013
Text Notes: World-renowned ethicist, Peter Singer argues that people have a moral obligation to give as many resources as possible to as many suffering people as possible in order to effect the most change for the good. In the same sense that one should (and would) do as much as humanly possible to assist an injured child directly in front of us, so ought one do as much as possible to help a starving child in abject poverty – and in some circumstances, we ought to do more for the child who is not directly in front of us. He further contends that this assistance should not only be increased in volume but also in effectiveness – here, he coins the phrase "effective altruism." In typical utilitarian sequence, Singer compares dilemmas in which good can be maximized for the greatest number – provide one American blind person with a $40K seeing-eye dog, or cure up to 2,000 people of blindness in a developing country with a procedure that costs no more than $50 per person. "I think it’s clear what’s the better thing to do."

**I would advise you to take notes either onto a claim sheet or on paper as you watch
IF THAT IS TOO HARD, THERE IS A LINK FOR A TRANSCRIPT ON THE WEB PAGE

(ALTRUISM--or selflessness is the principle or practice of concern for the welfare of others)

 Text-Dependent Questions:

1. How does Singer’s example of two-year-old, Wang Yue, set the stage for his argument? How does this help Singer set up the question of what is "morally relevant"?

2. What evidence does Singer present to support his claim that it is better to spend your resources helping others than on non-essential material goods? How does he organize his evidence?

3. How does Singer’s appeal to reason and logic support effective altruism?

4. Singer points out a phrase on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation website: "All lives have equal value." How does Singer incorporate values into his argument? To whom will they appeal?

5. What argumentative premises and evidence does this text provide that influence your understanding of or perspective on the issue/problem of immigration and immigration policy in the US?