ACX
Your Book Review: Nine Lives
A review of 'Nine Lives', a memoir by ex-jihadist turned spy Aimen Dean, offering insights into al-Qaeda's operations and the challenges of counterterrorism.
54 min read 8,314 words
A thread through the archive
terrorism
Essays tagged “terrorism”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on terrorism
6 essaysACX
Against Learning From Dramatic Events
Scott Alexander argues against significantly updating beliefs based on single dramatic events, advocating for consistent policies based on pre-existing probability distributions.
26 min read 3,919 words
SSC
Fundamental Value Differences Are Not That Fundamental
Scott Alexander argues that fundamental value differences are less common and less aligned with political tribes than often assumed, emphasizing the need for coexistence despite varying values.
23 min read 3,412 words
SSC
Against Overgendering Harassment
The post criticizes the gendered framing of sexual harassment, presenting statistics on male victims and female perpetrators, and argues for a more balanced approach to the issue.
15 min read 2,309 words
SSC
Terrorists Vs. Chairs: An Outlier Story
Scott Alexander critiques the argument that terrorism is less concerning than mundane accidents, showing how excluding 'outlier' events can dangerously skew risk assessments for threats like terrorism and pandemics.
8 min read 1,187 words
LW
Solutions to Political Problems As Counterfactuals
Scott analyzes why some proposed political solutions feel wrong or useless by examining them as counterfactuals, arguing that valid solutions must involve modifying nodes you can actually influence rather than wishfully changing things you have no power over.
12 min read 1,787 words