Counting Animals: On Effective Altruism and the Prospect of Interspecies Commensurability

Abstract

In this thesis, I develop a mechanism that permits intelligible comparisons between human and animal suffering, with specific application to the case of evaluating philanthropic effectiveness. My argument is underpinned by a mathematical formula that allows us, at least in principle, to quantify differences between animal and human suffering. Ultimately, I hope to lay the theoretical groundwork for meaningfully comparing the moral worthwhileness of animal welfare interventions against programs that target human suffering.