A thread through the archive

simplicity

Essays tagged “simplicity”. Follow an idea across the archive.

Essays on simplicity

2 essays

Aug 25, 2026ACX

Highlights From The Comments On The Substack Religion Debate

Scott defends his dismissal of the Substack religion debate against charges of hypocrisy and engages with technical objections about Kolmogorov complexity, arguing that 'mind without limits' isn't actually simple and that explaining multiple anomalies with God is like explaining Napoleon's success with aliens.

33 min read 4,980 words

Feb 19, 2025ACX

Tegmark's Mathematical Universe Defeats Most Proofs Of God's Existence

Scott Alexander explores how Max Tegmark's mathematical universe hypothesis provides counterarguments to classical proofs of God's existence, suggesting that the existence of mathematical objects alone could explain the universe without requiring a deity.

8 min read 1,171 words

consciousness Conway's Game of Life God