High Signal Podcasts Evidence ledger
Method
Browse
How the evidence works

Public evidence record

William MacAskill

Published podcast speaker

Claims
25
Episodes
1
Shows
1
Named items
2

Books, apps, and tools

The evidenced stack.

Browse the grouped index →

service / recommends

Deworm the World

“There are volunteering opportunities like high impact nonprofits, both within the effective altruism organizations or organizations we recommend, like Malaria Consortium, Deworm the World.”

Conversations with Tyler · 10 Aug 2022

Evidence receipt · Source ↗

service / recommends

Malaria Consortium

“There are volunteering opportunities like high impact nonprofits, both within the effective altruism organizations or organizations we recommend, like Malaria Consortium, Deworm the World.”

Conversations with Tyler · 10 Aug 2022

Evidence receipt · Source ↗

Claim ledger

What William said.

16 transcript-backed records

01 / belief

If, however, it’s already 95 percent towards the good candidate in terms of votes, and you’re just absolutely sure that voting for the good candidate will not make a difference, then I think the main argument, and by far the main argument, is undermined because it’s already over-determined that this good thing is going to happen, and so you adding your extra weight is not making the world any better.

“If, however, it’s already 95 percent towards the good candidate in terms of votes, and you’re just absolutely sure that voting for the good candidate will not make a difference, then I think the main argument, and by far the main argument, is undermined because it’s already over-determined that this good thing is going to happen, and so you adding your extra weight is not making the world any better.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler

02 / belief

Actually, my understanding of human beings — rather than homo economicus, which are mainly motivated by self-interest; you understand that in terms of income — at least when you’re looking at a much broader scale, I think we’re much more like homo culturalis, where people have a view of how the world should be, and they go out and try to make that vision happen.

“Actually, my understanding of human beings — rather than homo economicus, which are mainly motivated by self-interest; you understand that in terms of income — at least when you’re looking at a much broader scale, I think we’re much more like homo culturalis, where people have a view of how the world should be, and they go out and try to make that vision happen.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler

04 / belief

From the sheer track record of how helpful these have been over the last 200 years, let’s just keep pushing on that. That’s the kind of view that I think I’m most sympathetic to in terms of the moral-progress studies worldview because I do think that’s good for the long-term future.

“From the sheer track record of how helpful these have been over the last 200 years, let’s just keep pushing on that. That’s the kind of view that I think I’m most sympathetic to in terms of the moral-progress studies worldview because I do think that’s good for the long-term future.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler

07 / belief

If I’m putting weight on both of them, which again I think we should — I don’t think you should be super confident in any one model worldview — then that will favor, to some extent, the humans.

“If I’m putting weight on both of them, which again I think we should — I don’t think you should be super confident in any one model worldview — then that will favor, to some extent, the humans.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler

08 / belief

I think the best guess from the Fermi paradox — that is the paradox that we don’t, in fact, see advanced intelligent life — is that, probably, we’re just alone, at least in a very, very large section of space.

“I think the best guess from the Fermi paradox — that is the paradox that we don’t, in fact, see advanced intelligent life — is that, probably, we’re just alone, at least in a very, very large section of space.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler

09 / belief

Then, when I think about, would I have the reason that many people, I think, are drawn to having kids — to have additional meaning in their lives — it’s not something that appeals to me, like really motivates me.

“Then, when I think about, would I have the reason that many people, I think, are drawn to having kids — to have additional meaning in their lives — it’s not something that appeals to me, like really motivates me.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler

11 / belief

Then your view would have to argue that, “Well, the future, as it is, is like close to the upper bound of value,” in order to make sense of the idea that you shouldn’t flip 50/50. I think, actually, that position would be pretty hard to defend, is my guess.

“Then your view would have to argue that, “Well, the future, as it is, is like close to the upper bound of value,” in order to make sense of the idea that you shouldn’t flip 50/50. I think, actually, that position would be pretty hard to defend, is my guess.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler

12 / belief

I also admit, intuitively, I have very rapid diminishing returns to value. So, intuitively, I think that you take a galaxy, and it’s full of bliss, best possible galaxy — 50/50 for that versus all accessible galaxies are flourishing, and so on.

“I also admit, intuitively, I have very rapid diminishing returns to value. So, intuitively, I think that you take a galaxy, and it’s full of bliss, best possible galaxy — 50/50 for that versus all accessible galaxies are flourishing, and so on.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler

16 / belief

The question of just how many people should be alive today is really driven by, how would that impact the long-term flourishing of humanity? That being said, like all things considered, I think there’s this norm, there’s this idea at the moment that it’s bad to have kids because of the carbon footprint.

“The question of just how many people should be alive today is really driven by, how would that impact the long-term flourishing of humanity? That being said, like all things considered, I think there’s this norm, there’s this idea at the moment that it’s bad to have kids because of the carbon footprint.”
Publisher
Conversations with Tyler
Search evidence