SSC
SSC Survey Results 2020
Scott Alexander presents the results of the 2020 Slate Star Codex survey, including links to data, privacy measures, and future analysis plans.
4 min read 498 words
The independent Scott Alexander archive
Scott Alexander, collected.
Essays, arguments, and unexpected connections. An independent archive of Slate Star Codex, Astral Codex Ten, and LessWrong.
The collection
2,008 essaysSSC
Last Chance To Take The Survey
Scott Alexander announces the last chance to take the 2020 SSC survey, providing brief instructions and thanking participants.
1 min read 81 words
SSC
Contra Contra Contra Caplan On Psych
Scott Alexander critiques Bryan Caplan's constraints vs preferences model of mental illness, proposing instead a goals vs urges framework that better explains both mental and physical health issues.
28 min read 4,232 words
SSC
2019 Adversarial Collaboration Winners
Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2019 Adversarial Collaboration Contest and reviews all entries, praising their strengths and noting their impact on readers.
14 min read 2,111 words
SSC
What Intellectual Progress Did I Make In The 2010s?
Scott Alexander reviews his intellectual progress in the 2010s across various fields, crediting his blog for accelerating learning.
32 min read 4,854 words
SSC
A Very Unlikely Chess Game
Scott Alexander plays chess against GPT-2, an AI language model, and discusses the broader implications of AI's ability to perform diverse tasks without specific training.
10 min read 1,499 words
SSC
Hardball Questions For The Next Debate (2020)
Scott Alexander presents satirical and absurd 'hardball questions' for 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, showcasing clever wordplay and humorous connections.
7 min read 1,013 words
SSC
Why Doctors Think They’re The Best
Scott Alexander examines seven cognitive traps that lead doctors to believe they're above-average, potentially applying to other client-choice professions.
9 min read 1,284 words
SSC
Please Take The 2020 SSC Survey!
Scott Alexander is requesting readers to participate in the 2020 Slate Star Codex Survey, which helps him gather data for research and community planning.
5 min read 650 words
SSC
Please Vote For ACC Winner
Scott Alexander asks readers to vote for their favorite among eight posted adversarial collaborations, with prizes for the top two.
1 min read 107 words
SSC
[ACC] How Much Significance Should We Ascribe To Spiritual Experiences?
This collaboration examines the empirical evidence and significance of spiritual experiences, arguing they deserve serious consideration as an important aspect of human life.
118 min read 18,250 words
SSC
[ACC] Should You Have A Merry Christmas?
An adversarial collaboration in verse examines Christmas, concluding that despite historical inaccuracies and economic inefficiencies, its social benefits are worthwhile.
5 min read 673 words
SSC
[ACC] Will Automation Lead To Economic Crisis?
The post argues that automation and AI are unlikely to cause a sustained economic crisis, as new jobs will be created to replace those automated, though the benefits may primarily go to capital owners.
28 min read 4,312 words
SSC
A Maximally Lazy Guide To Giving To Charity In 2019
Scott Alexander offers a guide for lazy people to donate to effective charities, ranging from easy options like EA Funds to more specific recommendations in various cause areas.
8 min read 1,213 words
SSC
[ACC] When During Fetal Development Does Abortion Become Morally Wrong?
Two authors debate when abortion becomes morally wrong, presenting arguments for conception vs. fetal viability as the ethical cutoff point.
35 min read 5,387 words
SSC
[ACC] Should Gene Editing Technologies Be Used In Humans?
This post examines the pros and cons of using gene editing technologies in humans, discussing scientific, medical, and ethical considerations.
38 min read 5,826 words
SSC
[ACC] Should We Colonize Space To Mitigate X-Risk?
The post compares space colonization and terrestrial lifeboats as X-risk mitigation strategies, concluding that space colonies may offer better long-term survival guarantees despite higher costs.
26 min read 4,000 words
SSC
[ACC] Does Calorie Restriction Slow Aging?
The post examines whether calorie restriction slows aging, concluding it likely does but may not be worth the drawbacks for most people.
51 min read 7,893 words
SSC
[ACC] Is Eating Meat A Net Harm?
A vegetarian and meat-eater collaborate to analyze the impacts of eating meat, concluding that reduced consumption is beneficial but not as clear-cut as some might think.
72 min read 11,092 words
SSC
Correction To Circumcision ACC
Scott Alexander apologizes for changing an essay title about circumcision, which caused confusion about its content, and asks readers to consider the original title when voting.
1 min read 122 words
SSC
[ACC] What Are The Benefits, Harms, And Ethics Of Infant Circumcision?
The post examines the medical benefits, risks, and ethical considerations of infant circumcision, presenting a balanced view based on various studies and historical context.
15 min read 2,321 words
SSC
2019 Adversarial Collaboration Entries
Scott Alexander presents the eight entries for the 2019 Adversarial Collaboration Contest, explaining the concept and announcing a future reader vote.
3 min read 384 words
SSC
Symptom, Condition, Cause
Scott Alexander argues that psychiatric diagnoses, while imperfect, are useful tools despite potentially combining multiple conditions with different causes.
9 min read 1,390 words
SSC
Links 12/19
A diverse collection of links to interesting articles, studies, and news items on topics ranging from history and science to politics and culture.
21 min read 3,212 words
SSC
Mental Mountains
The post explores how emotional learning creates hard-to-update mental models, drawing parallels between psychotherapy, psychedelics, and rationality techniques in overcoming these 'mental mountains'.
31 min read 4,789 words
Find your next rabbit hole
Start with a reader favorite, or follow an idea somewhere unexpected.