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Can We Link Perception And Cognition?
Scott Alexander explores potential links between perception of optical illusions and cognitive styles, proposing further research to investigate these connections.
7 min read 945 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
Change Minds Or Drive Turnout?
Scott examines claims that political parties should focus on base turnout rather than appealing to moderates, finding evidence that extreme candidates decrease turnout and swing voters matter.
16 min read 2,381 words
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Two Kinds Of Caution
Scott criticizes an article downplaying AI risks in favor of mundane technologies, arguing this represents misplaced caution given AI's potential existential threat.
13 min read 1,903 words
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To The Great City!
Scott Alexander completes his medical residency and announces his return to San Francisco, reflecting on his experiences and his enduring connection to the rationalist community there.
8 min read 1,111 words
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Why Are Transgender People Immune To Optical Illusions?
Scott Alexander hypothesizes a link between transgender identity, optical illusions, and NMDA receptor function, based on survey data and existing research on schizophrenia and autism.
21 min read 3,120 words
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Conversation Deliberately Skirts The Border Of Incomprehensibility
The post explores how neurotypical social interactions often involve indirect communication, which can be confusing for autistic individuals, and suggests that conversations may be deliberately designed to be unpredictable.
7 min read 1,076 words
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Against Murderism
Scott Alexander critiques the concept of 'racism' as an oversimplified explanation for complex issues, arguing for a more nuanced approach to understanding and addressing societal problems.
42 min read 6,392 words
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To Understand Polarization, Understand Conservativism’s Failures
Scott Alexander examines how Republicans' failure to achieve smaller government despite holding power contributes to increased polarization and the election of more extreme candidates.
5 min read 747 words
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Links 6/17: Silinks Is Golden
A collection of interesting links covering a wide range of topics, from scientific studies and historical facts to current events and amusing anecdotes.
18 min read 2,776 words
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What Is Depression, Anyway?: The Synapse Hypothesis
Scott Alexander examines the synapse hypothesis of depression, which links decreased synaptogenesis to various depression research findings, and raises questions for future investigation.
15 min read 2,229 words
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SSC Journal Club: AI Timelines
Scott analyzes a new survey of AI researchers, showing diverse opinions on AI timelines and risks, with many acknowledging potential dangers but few prioritizing safety research.
16 min read 2,467 words
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Is Pharma Research Worse Than Chance?
Scott Alexander explores why recreational drugs like ketamine and MDMA have shown more promise in treating mental health conditions than intentionally developed pharmaceuticals, suggesting a new direction for drug research.
11 min read 1,551 words
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Hungarian Education III: Mastering The Core Teachings Of The Budapestians
Scott Alexander explores Laszlo Polgar's successful educational methods that produced chess prodigies, analyzing possible explanations and lamenting the unavailability of Polgar's book on his techniques.
17 min read 2,549 words
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Hungarian Education II: Four Nobel Truths
The post analyzes Nobel Prize winners per capita, refining the data to show that Israeli Ashkenazi Jews have the highest rate, supporting the theory of their intellectual prowess while raising questions about educational systems and concentration effects.
6 min read 785 words
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The Atomic Bomb Considered As Hungarian High School Science Fair Project
Scott examines the phenomenon of Hungarian scientific geniuses in the early 20th century, attributing it to a high concentration of high-IQ Ashkenazi Jews in Budapest rather than exceptional education.
30 min read 4,597 words
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Those Modern Pathologies
The post satirically portrays ancient concepts as 'modern pathologies' to criticize aspects of contemporary society.
10 min read 1,529 words
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Classified Ads Thread
Scott proposes a classified ads thread for readers to post various ads, including personal ads for women and gay people, while he's away at a conference.
1 min read 46 words
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Postmarketing Surveillance Is Good And Normal
Scott Alexander argues that the 33% rate of post-marketing safety events for FDA-approved drugs is not necessarily concerning and explains why post-marketing surveillance is a normal part of drug safety monitoring.
12 min read 1,738 words
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Polyamory Is Not Polygyny
Scott Alexander uses survey data to challenge claims that polyamory leads to a few men monopolizing women, showing these criticisms don't match reality in practice.
7 min read 968 words
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Bail Out
Scott Alexander examines bail reform as a potential solution to high incarceration rates in the US, discussing its impacts, alternatives, and the effectiveness of bail-paying charities.
19 min read 2,798 words
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Silicon Valley: A Reality Check
Scott Alexander argues that media criticism of Silicon Valley based on products like Juicero ignores the significant innovative and altruistic work being done in the tech hub.
13 min read 1,901 words
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Links 5/17: Rip Van Linkle
A Links post presenting various news items and articles, ranging from cultural curiosities like the multiocular O to scientific findings about brain sex differences and genetic research, along with commentary on current events and politics.
23 min read 3,478 words
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Getting High On Your Own Supply
Scott Alexander examines the tension between adopting voter-friendly strategies and maintaining intellectual rigor in political discourse, warning against sacrificing competent governance for electoral success.
10 min read 1,495 words
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Neutral vs. Conservative: The Eternal Struggle
Scott Alexander critiques an article on conservative 'tribal epistemology', arguing that liberal bias in supposedly neutral institutions has driven conservatives to create their own spaces, exacerbating polarization.
21 min read 3,180 words
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Anorexia And Metabolic Set Point
Scott Alexander speculates that anorexia might be caused by a distorted metabolic set point, similar to but opposite of obesity's mechanisms.
12 min read 1,770 words
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