MacAskill

William MacAskill is a Scottish philosopher and a leading figure in the effective altruism movement. He co-founded Giving What We Can, an organization encouraging people to pledge a substantial portion of their income to effective charities, and 80,000 Hours, a career-planning nonprofit that aims to identify high-impact occupations. He is a senior research fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford and has been involved in teaching and research within Oxford’s Faculty of Philosophy.

MacAskill’s work centers on moral philosophy, practical ethics, and the study of global welfare. He has helped develop the framework of effective altruism, which seeks to maximize the positive impact of charitable giving and personal effort by applying evidence and careful reasoning. His emphasis on cost-effectiveness and targeted action has shaped discussions about philanthropy, policy, and personal decision-making in humanitarian contexts.

In 2022, MacAskill published What We Owe the Future, a book that outlines long-termism—the idea that actions today should be evaluated by their consequences for humanity’s long-term future. The book argues for prioritizing causes with potentially enormous long-term impact and for ethical reasoning that accounts for future generations when making policy and personal choices.

MacAskill’s prominence has helped bring attention to long-term ethical questions and to the practical work of the effective altruism movement. His work has influenced philanthropy, public policy discussions, and debates within philosophy about the scope and responsibilities of moral obligation in an uncertain future.