meh

You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!

You both like philosophy.

You: Hey. I'm into Effective Altruism. It's easy to look up if you might be interested in a discussion. Other things too.

Stranger: I can look that up

You: ok

Stranger: Okay, I think I get the gist

You: hmmm, too fast

Stranger: I read the first wikipedia paragraph

You: ya, that's not enough to hold a conversation

Stranger: I already have a question

You: Ok

You: What is it?

Stranger: Is it similar to pragmatism in the sense it does not proscribe the means by which a goal is achieved and is more focused on ends? That is, could anything be judged effect altruism so long as it made things better?

Stranger: prescribe

Stranger: I ask because, if you take Kant or Rawls, for instance, there are clearly some actions that can never be right even if, in a more utilitarian sense, they increased the general well-being of society

You: Ah, no, not really

You: It's a movement like the Civil Rights movement

You: There are no blanket conditionals

Stranger: The reason I ask is because you could argue that say, neoliberal capitalism was good because it lifted people out of poverty if you believed that. A lot of people who might fit the traditional mold of an effective altruist could disagree

You: Well no

Stranger: So I guess what I mean is does it prioritize certain methods of achieving good?

You: Reading the first paragraph of a Wikipedia article

You: doesn't mean you know what you're talking about

Stranger: That's why I'm asking lol

You: I'm saying, it doesn't make sense when you used "effective altruist"\

Stranger: Ah, I gotcha

You: So do you follow some ethical system?

Stranger: Hmmm, not strictly. I like the neo-Kantian mindset advanced by people like Rawls, but I think I'm a bit more flexible than them or at least think that their theories have to be adapted to fit the real world

You: ok

Stranger: Was that not an adequate answer lol?

You: kinda vague

Stranger: That's true

You: I don't know Rawls too

Stranger: That's what I mean when I say I think I am a bit more flexible. I would love it if there was one system I felt had all the answers, but I feel like, a lot of the time, the ideal world described by the moral philosophers I admire is either impossible to implement or the most effective, least destructive way to implement it takes time

Stranger: That doesn't mean you should sacrifice your ideals

You: Have you read any Habermas?

Stranger: It might just be something as simple as you live in a nation without as many economic resources as another so you have to choose a lesser healthcare system

Stranger: I've read only a bit and I gotta say that he was a difficult read

Stranger: So I may be rusty here

Stranger: You?

You: Not much

Stranger: Are you in college?

Stranger: What drew you to effective altruism?

You: ya

You: A third of it's about lessening absolute poverty

You: and I'm all about that

Stranger: Yeah, economic well-being is probably my largest political concern

Stranger: Not because everyone needs to be rich, but because it gives people the resources to make a better society

You: Are you in college?

Stranger: Just graduated last year, now working

You: lucky dog

Stranger: Hahaha, I loved college, but it was time to go

Stranger: And I feel lucky to have gotten the job

Stranger: How do you like school?

You: I don't like my professors

Stranger: Why not?

You: Don't really help

Stranger: Or do you dislike each one for different reasons?

You: And yes

Stranger: Do you know what to do after school?

Stranger: I know one really does

Stranger: But generally I mean

You: Do I know what to do for what?

Stranger: Just as your main "profession" for lack of a better term

Stranger: Whether that be helping people or working as an investment banker

Stranger: Or more school

You: ohh

You: I thought I meant

You: after classes are done

You: for the day

You: =)

Stranger: Ahh haha I gotcha

You: I want to go into printed circuit board design or something with telecommunications I think

Stranger: Interesting

Stranger: Yeah, I'm a consultant at a software development firm

Stranger: So definitely nothing related to my interests here lol

Stranger: Maybe grad. school one day, though

Stranger: Are you an engineering major?

You: electrical

You: your degree?

Stranger: Government and economics with a minor in Middle Eastern studies

You: What do you consult that firm on?

Stranger: I consult clients; I assess their needs to develop a solution which works for them. I then work with developers to implement the solution and help run the project. The extent to which this involves traditional management consulting varies as some clients need/want large, custom software implementations to be accompanied by changes in business processes while others do not