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Fake Consensualism
Scott critiques the misuse of consent-based arguments to justify bans, arguing that they often disguise sacred values and can lead to more harm than good.
21 min read 3,252 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
Things I Don’t Understand About Genetics (A Non-Exhaustive List)
Scott Alexander discusses his confusion about polygenic inheritance, mutational load, and the paternal age effect in genetics, seeking explanations from readers.
8 min read 1,097 words
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Fermat’s Last Stand: Soundtrack and Adventure Log
Scott describes a philosophical role-playing game adventure called 'Fermat's Last Stand', featuring puzzles, debates, and original songs.
49 min read 7,587 words
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Extreme Mnemonics
Scott proposes creating fictional stories isomorphic to complex scientific concepts as a memory aid, inspired by the ease of remembering Game of Thrones details compared to biochemistry facts.
6 min read 890 words
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Science & Medicine Links for August
Scott Alexander presents a roundup of recent scientific and medical studies, covering topics from hallucinations to obesity genetics to schizophrenia treatment.
10 min read 1,438 words
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On first looking into Chapman’s “Pop Bayesianism”
Scott Alexander defends Bayesianism as a valuable epistemology, contrasting it with absolutist and nihilistic approaches, and argues for its usefulness in complex reasoning.
14 min read 2,110 words
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Holocaust Good For You, Research Finds, But Frequent Taunting Causes Cancer In Rats
Scott Alexander contrasts two studies with opposite conclusions about stress, highlighting the inconsistency in how we interpret adversity's effects.
7 min read 1,084 words
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Links for July
A collection of interesting links from around the web with Scott's commentary, covering topics from international politics to scientific research to cultural curiosities.
10 min read 1,427 words
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I Myself Am A Scientismist
Scott Alexander defends 'scientism', arguing that scientific thinking provides valuable tools for addressing non-scientific questions and avoiding common cognitive biases.
18 min read 2,643 words
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Who By Very Slow Decay
Scott Alexander provides a stark, critical look at end-of-life care in hospitals, challenging idealized notions of death and the concept of 'cultivating a culture of life'.
27 min read 4,039 words
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I Aten’t Dead
Scott Alexander shares his experiences as a new medical intern, describing the complexities of hospital systems and his role within them.
13 min read 1,901 words
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The Lottery of Fascinations
Scott Alexander compares reactions to coming out as gay versus disliking math, introducing the concept of a 'Things To Be Fascinated About Lottery' to explain diverse interests and talents.
13 min read 1,951 words
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Nature Is Not A Slate. It’s A Series Of Levers.
Scott Alexander defends social psychology against conservative criticism, arguing that it correctly balances situational and personality factors in human behavior, and proposes a progressive approach that leverages human nature for positive outcomes.
20 min read 3,064 words
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The Hospital Orientation
Scott Alexander provides a satirical account of a hospital orientation, highlighting its various absurdities and contradictions.
5 min read 639 words
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Social Psychology Is A Flamethrower
Scott argues that social psychology is often misused in political discourse, presenting counterintuitive claims to demonstrate how easily it can be manipulated to support various agendas.
23 min read 3,415 words
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A New Chapter In The Codex
Scott Alexander announces reduced blogging frequency due to starting full-time work, expecting content to focus more on medicine and psychiatry.
3 min read 331 words
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The What-You’d-Implicitly-Heard-Before Telling Thing
Scott critiques Chesterton's 'truth-telling thing' argument, suggesting that religion's apparent coherence stems from cultural conditioning rather than inherent truth.
8 min read 1,166 words
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Can Atheists Appreciate Chesterton?
Scott Alexander explores whether atheists can fully appreciate Chesterton's work, arguing that the moral beauty in his writing stems more from modern humanism than Christianity itself.
16 min read 2,334 words
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The Virtue of Silence
Scott Alexander explores the ethical implications of publicly debating medical confidentiality breaches, introducing the concept of the 'Virtue of Silence' as a potential solution.
8 min read 1,227 words
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Arguments From My Opponent Believes Something
Scott Alexander outlines and criticizes ten fallacious argument styles that misrepresent an opponent's beliefs, demonstrating how they can be used to unfairly attack any position.
6 min read 806 words
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Lies, Damned Lies, And Facebook (Part 3 of ∞)
Scott Alexander analyzes the misrepresentation of the Gilbert/Frago case in media and online discourse, showing how legal complexities were oversimplified.
12 min read 1,853 words
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Medical and Psychological Studies for June
Scott Alexander presents a roundup of recent medical and psychological studies, covering topics from UV light exposure to belief in science during stress.
8 min read 1,118 words
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All Debates Are Bravery Debates
Scott Alexander argues that many debates are 'bravery debates' where different groups need opposing advice, making it challenging to target advice effectively.
14 min read 2,052 words
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Moments Of Awakening
Scott Alexander discusses how the clarity experienced when awakening from meditation-induced delusions mirrors his appreciation for simplifying philosophical concepts.
6 min read 822 words
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