TED: What are the most important moral problems of our time? | Will MacAskill

The video discusses the economic history of human civilization, highlighting the impact of the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions. It introduces the concept of effective altruism, a philosophy aimed at using evidence and reasoning to do the most good. The speaker outlines a framework for prioritizing global issues based on size, solvability, and neglect. Key areas of focus include global health, factory farming, and existential risks. The video emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues to preserve humanity's future potential and suggests ways individuals can contribute through money, career, or political engagement.

What major historical events transformed the economic history of human civilization?

• The World Wars

• The Digital Revolution

• The Scientific and Industrial Revolutions

• The Renaissance and the Enlightenment

What is the main goal of effective altruism?

• To maximize personal wealth

• To use evidence and reasoning to do the most good

• To promote political ideologies

• To focus solely on local issues

According to the effective altruism framework, which factor is NOT considered when prioritizing global problems?

• Popularity of the problem

• Neglect of the problem

• Solvability of the problem

• Size of the problem

Which global issue is considered 'supersolvable' according to the effective altruism framework?

• Economic inequality

• Global health

• Political corruption

• Climate change

Why is factory farming considered a 'superneglected' issue?

• It has abundant funding

• It receives a lot of media attention

• It is a new and emerging issue

• It affects a large number of animals but receives little funding

What is an example of an existential risk mentioned in the video?

• Economic recession

• Nuclear war

• Deforestation

• Overpopulation

What is the potential future duration of human civilization if it survives existential risks?

• 500 years

• 2 million years

• 500 million years

• 1 billion years

What is a reason why future generations' issues are often neglected?

• They are well-funded by philanthropists

• They do not have a vote or voice today

• They participate in current markets

• They have strong political representation

How can individuals contribute to solving global problems according to the video?

• Through money, career, and political engagement

• By focusing only on personal gain

• By avoiding international cooperation

• By ignoring political engagement

What is the current state of the research program of effective altruism?

• It is fully developed

• It is widely implemented

• It is no longer relevant

• It is in its infancy