Welcome to the first chapter! We’re diving right in with two big sticky questions: what is social impact and how can we measure it? These questions lay the foundation for the work we do in tech for social impact. If we are to care about the impact of our work on the world, then our answer to these questions will define the set of possible work we can do.
Many different people have spent time thinking about what social impact is, approaching it from different perspectives. Our goal for the impact definition readings in this chapter is to provide an overview of some of the frameworks available to you so that you can engage critically with this question. This week is about exploring and learning about these frameworks; later on, we’ll narrow in on how you want to define social impact in your own path. For now, just take note of your own reactions as you read. What do you find easiest and most difficult to engage with in these readings? What new insights hadn’t you considered?
Physical reality (aka the real world) is, as mathematician Paul Lockhart puts it, “way too complicated, and nothing is at all what it appears to be… Any measurement made in this universe is necessarily a rough approximation. It's not bad; it's just the nature of the place.” Evaluating impact, something that may mean different things for different people, is a nuanced yet important matter to consider. At the end of the day, evaluations are proxies for the true impact of the work, which may or may not be measurable. How you choose to consider evaluations and measurement rests on your theory of change and your value system, so we’ve included readings on evaluating impact early on in the guide.
Recommend time: 15 minutes Ben Green, a researcher on ethics of government algorithms, critiques that the enthusiasm among computer scientists to pursue social good is lacking foundation in politics and social change.
Recommend time: 30 minutes 80000 Hours, an Effective Altruist non-profit, takes a rationalist approach to defining social impact that focuses on impartiality, wellbeing, and expected value.
Recommend time: 10 minutes This piece argues that a rationalist and maximizing metric position of doing good has its own set of moral hazards. Moreover, it argues that there exists “good” beyond measurable metrics and “change” beyond pouring of capital.