SSC
Creationism, Unchallenged
Scott Alexander examines the impact of media coverage on fringe beliefs like creationism, suggesting that reduced coverage doesn't necessarily lead to their spread.
6 min read 920 words
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creationism
Essays tagged “creationism”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on creationism
5 essaysSSC
Djoser Joseph Osiris
Scott Alexander investigates claims linking Pharaoh Djoser to Osiris and Joseph, finding little evidence for the Osiris connection but a small possibility of a link to the Joseph story.
13 min read 1,925 words
SSC
The Cowpox of Doubt
Scott argues that focusing on easily debunked fringe beliefs when discussing rationality can be counterproductive, potentially hampering people's ability to doubt their own beliefs and engage in critical thinking.
10 min read 1,427 words
LW
Confidence levels inside and outside an argument
Scott distinguishes between an argument's internal confidence level and our external confidence in that argument, showing that extremely high probability claims should be moderated by the baseline probability that the argument itself is flawed.
13 min read 1,981 words
LW
The Apologist and the Revolutionary
Scott explains Ramachandran's theory that anosognosia and split-brain confabulation reflect a left-brain 'apologist' and a right-brain 'revolutionary' whose balance governs our ability to change our minds.
11 min read 1,618 words