It sounds like a cold question, but for grant makers, it is the necessary calculus of doing good. In this episode, Ben sits down with Deena Mousa (Open Philanthropy, Coefficient Giving) to discuss the difficult frameworks used to allocate finite resources.
"Every time you choose whether to take a more dangerous job at a higher wage... you are implicitly putting a price on how much you value a year of your life."
We dive into the "Coefficient Dollar," the complexities of measuring pain, and why government procurement might be the world's most underrated problem.
WE COVER:
The Calculus of Altruism: Using "revealed preference" to value a year of life
The Pain Paradox: Why health models struggle to measure suffering
AI for Good: "AI washing" vs. actual capacity building
Systemic Bottlenecks: Why boring process fixes beat flashy policies
Life Advice: Why you should ignore advice that resonates too much
"Often, the people listening to a piece of general advice are exactly the group of people that should be doing the opposite."
Contents:
00:00 Introduction
01:17 Valuing Life and Health
05:46 Challenges in Measuring Pain and Health Outcomes
13:32 Creative Process and Research Methodology
18:38 Journey and Early Experiences
22:23 Debate on International Aid and USAID
29:20 Impact of AI in Global Health and Development
36:25 Overrated or Underrated
44:59 Exciting Projects and AI for Good
46:14 Balancing Cause Areas and Funding Decisions
58:31 Advice for Aspiring Philanthropists and Innovators
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