12-24-2025, 01:03 AM
I'm an undergraduate philosophy student writing my thesis on the intersection of effective altruism and traditional deontological ethics, and I've hit a conceptual wall. I'm trying to reconcile the utilitarian-style calculation of effective altruism, which prioritizes measurable outcomes, with Kantian duties that seem to reject using individuals merely as a means to an end, even for a greater good. This feels particularly relevant when considering philanthropic interventions in developing nations. For those well-versed in moral philosophy, are there any contemporary philosophers or specific texts that directly address this tension? I'm looking for frameworks that don't simply dismiss one approach in favor of the other, but attempt a substantive synthesis.