The independent Scott Alexander archive
Essays, arguments, and unexpected connections. An independent archive of Slate Star Codex, Astral Codex Ten, and LessWrong.
Scott Alexander analyzes online drug ratings, finding patients prefer older antidepressants while doctors prefer newer ones, and explores potential explanations for this paradox.
Scott examines how rare but severe drug side effects often lead to underprescription compared to drugs with common but less severe side effects, potentially resulting in suboptimal patient care.
The post deconstructs a growth mindset study, revealing that its positive claims in the abstract are not supported by the actual data, demonstrating the importance of critical analysis of scientific papers.
Scott shares and comments on various interesting links covering science, politics, and curiosities, with particular focus on recent studies in genetics and psychology.
Scott Alexander proposes that academics blaming their own demographic for societal problems stems from a desire to justify helping others within their moral framework.
Scott Alexander defends his stance on the 'chemical imbalance' theory of depression, arguing that Mad In America's critique actually supports his view of a more nuanced understanding in psychiatry.
Scott Alexander analyzes two conflicting studies on gender bias in STEM hiring, exploring reasons for their contradictory results and the challenges in reaching a definitive conclusion.
Scott Alexander clarifies his stance on growth mindset theory, distinguishing between widely accepted ideas and more controversial claims made by Carol Dweck, expressing skepticism about some aspects while acknowledging supporting evidence.
Scott Alexander critically examines the concept of growth mindset, expressing skepticism despite compelling studies and discussing various issues with the theory and its interpretation.
Scott Alexander refutes the idea that an AI without a physical body couldn't impact the real world, presenting various scenarios where it could gain power and influence.
A collection of interesting links covering research studies, social issues, economic trends and cultural phenomena that challenged expectations.
Scott Alexander defends psychiatry's use of 'chemical imbalance' theory, arguing it was meant to emphasize depression's biological basis rather than claiming a simple serotonin deficiency.
The author humorously advocates for the revival of boustrophedon, an ancient Greek writing system, as a more efficient reading method.
Scott Alexander shares insights and critiques from a psychiatry conference, covering topics from medication prescribing rights to new monitoring technologies and research methodologies.
Scott Alexander defends the use of extreme thought experiments in moral philosophy, using Phil Robertson's controversial remarks as an example to explain their necessity and purpose.
Scott Alexander examines the trend of labeling various ideologies as 'religions', arguing that this approach is often overly broad and potentially misleading.
A collection of interesting links covering topics from science and politics to economics and culture, with commentary on each item.
Scott Alexander reviews and comments on passages from David Friedman's 'The Machinery of Freedom', discussing various libertarian ideas and their implications.
Scott reviews 'The Machinery of Freedom' by David Friedman, discussing libertarian ideas and anarcho-capitalist proposals while expressing both interest and skepticism.
Scott Alexander shares intriguing excerpts from 'Willpower', a book on self-control, while cautioning readers about the claims' reliability and expressing skepticism about some assertions.
Scott Alexander reimagines the biblical story of Job as a philosophical dialogue about the existence of evil and suffering in God's creation.
Scott Alexander reviews 'Willpower' by Baumeister and Tierney, finding it disappointing for its pop science approach and failure to address controversies in willpower research.
Scott Alexander critiques psychological studies claiming large effects from simple interventions, suggesting their impressive results may be due to flawed research rather than genuinely effective treatments.
A collection of interesting links covering technology, science, economics and society, with Scott's commentary and analysis on each topic.
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