Debate and Discussions: Effective Altruism and Effective Accelerationism

During the two-hour gathering, participants will be encouraged to engage in lively debates and discussions centered around a selected topic. Unlike a formal debate, these conversations will be unstructured, allowing for a more organic and free-flowing exchange of ideas.

The aim of these discussions is to create a space where participants can openly express their thoughts and opinions in a reasoned and rational manner. Rather than promoting a particular idea of perspective, the goal is to engage in thoughtful and respectful dialogue that leads to a deeper understanding of the topic at hand. Diverse opinions on the topics are encouraged!

Main Discussion Topic: Effective altruism and Effective Accelerationism

While you may not realize it, the ideologies of effective altruism and effective accelerationism have become influential forces, shaping decisions in the business and technology sectors.

For our next meeting, let's delve deeper into these two ideologies. I've included some brief videos and question prompts to facilitate our discussion. Additionally, for those interested in exploring further, I've provided links to more comprehensive videos and articles at the end of this message.

Video: Peter Singer on effective altruism

Discussion Questions:

• Can true altruism exist when humans are inherently selfish?
• Should we rely more on data and rationality rather than emotions to guide our moral decisions?
• Does effective altruism inadvertently justify extreme wealth and inequality?

Video: Understanding effective accelerationism

Discussion Questions:

• Is it prudent to accelerate the development of new technologies as quickly as possible?
• Do regulations on new technologies impede or facilitate their development?
• Does technology lead to greater freedom, or does it reinforce existing power structures?
• How does technological progress make you feel: fearful or hopeful?

Looking forward to our discussion.

Further Information:
AI Belongs to the Capitalists Now
The Rich Have Their Own Ethics: Effective Altruism & the Crypto Crash
Software Eating the Nation State

Location: Memorial Park Library, Meeting Room 2