E49: The Legacy of Effective Altruism with Igor Kurganov

"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by Igor Kurganov, poker player and founder of Raising for Effective Giving. They discuss similarities between poker and Effective Altruism, the successes and failures of EA, and where EA should go next. To get Brave: Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.

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LINKS

Raising for Effective Giving: https://reg-charity.org/

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X / TWITTER:

@IgorKurganov (Igor)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@upstream__pod

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:01) Math, Poker and Igor’s Journey into Effective Altruism

(03:40) The Evolution of Effective Altruism

(05:15) Critiques and Challenges of Effective Altruism

(08:00) Limitations and Misapplications of Effective Altruism

(10:42) Effective Altruism’s Approach to AI Safety and Pandemic Risks

(12:54) Igor on Criticisms and Misunderstandings of EA

(17:17) Sponsor - Brave

(18:19) The Balance between Centralization and Decentralization in Effective Altruism

(24:41) Utilizing Philanthropy to Address Market Failure

(26:41) Critique of Utilitarianism

(29:29) The Influence of Politics in EA

(40:13) Appreciating Effective Altruism

(42:31) Will EA be Here to Stay?

(47:24) Wrap

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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [e-mail].

Producer: Sam Kaufman

Editor: Eul Jose Lacierda