Three: Alexander Berger on improving global health and wellbeing in clear and direct ways

Three: Alexander Berger on improving global health and wellbeing in clear and direct ways

Author: 80,000 Hours April 12, 2021 Duration: 2:53:44

The effective altruist research community tries to identify the highest impact things people can do to improve the world. Unsurprisingly, given the difficulty of such a massive and open-ended project, very different schools of thought have arisen about how to do the most good.


Today’s guest, Alexander Berger, leads Open Philanthropy’s ‘Global Health and Wellbeing’ programme, where he oversees around $175 million in grants each year, and ultimately aspires to disburse billions in the most impactful ways he and his team can identify.


In this conversation from 2021, Alexander explains the case in favour of adopting the ‘global health and wellbeing’ mindset, while going through the arguments for the longtermist approach that he finds most and least convincing.

Full transcript, related links, and summary of this interview

This episode first broadcast on the regular 80,000 Hours Podcast feed on July 12, 2021. Some related episodes include:

  • #22 – Dr Leah Utyasheva on the non-profit that figured out how to massively cut suicide rates
  • #37 – GiveWell picks top charities by estimating the unknowable. James Snowden on how they do it.
  • #83 – Jennifer Doleac on ways to prevent crime other than police and prisons


Series produced by Keiran Harris.


Curious about using evidence and reason to do good better? This curated collection from the Effective Altruism: An Introduction-80,000 Hours podcast offers a direct path into the core ideas of a growing global movement. Instead of a sprawling archive, you get ten essential conversations that cut straight to the heart of how we can use our resources-including our careers-to solve the world's most pressing problems. Each episode in this series is a standalone deep dive, yet together they build a coherent foundation. You'll hear from researchers and practitioners grappling with tough questions: How do we compare the impact of different charitable causes? What does it mean to think on a global scale, or even for future generations? The discussions move beyond theory, touching on practical paths in fields like global health, animal welfare, and safeguarding the long-term future. Compiled by 80,000 Hours, this podcast serves as both a primer and an invitation to deeper thinking. It’s designed for anyone who has wondered if their desire to help can be channeled more strategically, whether you're a student planning a career, a professional considering a pivot, or simply someone intrigued by the intersection of ethics and action. The conversations are rigorous but accessible, blending philosophy with real-world examples to explore what effective altruism actually looks like in practice.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 12

Effective Altruism: An Introduction – 80,000 Hours (April 2021)
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