ACX
Highlights From The Comments On The Lab Leak Debate
Scott Alexander responds to comments on his COVID-19 origins debate post, addressing criticisms and maintaining his support for the zoonosis theory.
119 min read 18,355 words
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2,008 essaysACX
More Thoughts On Critical Windows
Scott examines 'critical windows' in human development, comparing them to AI learning processes and discussing their mysterious nature.
5 min read 642 words
ACX
Non-Book Review Contest 2025 Winners
Scott announces the winners and finalists of the 2025 Non-Book Review Contest, with prizes ranging from free subscriptions to $2500, and provides bios for all the winning authors.
12 min read 1,827 words
ACX
Welcome To The Terrible World Of Prescription-Only Apps
Scott Alexander criticizes the emergence of expensive, prescription-only therapy apps, using Somryst (a CBT-i app) as an example, and warns about the normalization of this trend.
17 min read 2,630 words
ACX
Your Book Review: Consciousness And The Brain
A review of Stanislas Dehaene's 'Consciousness and the Brain', discussing scientific findings on consciousness and their implications.
52 min read 8,040 words
ACX
I Will Not Eat The Bugs
Scott Alexander examines the ethical considerations of insect farming for food, questioning whether insects have moral value and how this impacts our ethical decisions.
12 min read 1,756 words
ACX
Links For April 2024
Scott Alexander presents a curated list of 31 diverse links and news items, covering topics from politics and science to cultural phenomena and AI developments.
20 min read 3,065 words
ACX
Quests And Requests
Scott Alexander proposes various project ideas for ACX Grants, ranging from scientific research to social initiatives, and encourages readers to pursue them.
27 min read 4,106 words
ACX
Your Book Review: Zuozhuan
The review examines 'Zuozhuan', an ancient Chinese historical text, exploring its content, context, and relevance to understanding societal transformation.
46 min read 6,998 words
ACX
Contra Acemoglu On...Oh God, We're Doing This Again, Aren't We?
Scott Alexander critiques Daron Acemoglu's Washington Post article on AI risks, highlighting flawed logic and unsupported claims about AI's current impacts.
16 min read 2,326 words
ACX
If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Governor Of California?
Scott Alexander argues that many people missed an opportunity to have a realistic chance of becoming Governor of California in the recall election, and analyzes why this happened.
14 min read 2,040 words
ACX
Links for May 2024
A wide-ranging collection of 40 news items and interesting facts, covering AI, politics, science, economics, and culture, with the author's commentary.
38 min read 5,840 words
ACX
Your Book Review: The Complete Rhyming Dictionary and Poet's Craft Book (1936 Edition)
A review of Clement Wood's 1936 'Complete Rhyming Dictionary and Poet's Craft Book', discussing its historical context and value as a resource for aspiring poets during a transitional period in poetry.
28 min read 4,304 words
ACX
Your Book Review: The Righteous Mind
The review critiques Haidt's 'The Righteous Mind', praising its contributions while highlighting flaws in its moral foundations theory and political predictions.
80 min read 12,330 words
LW
Simultaneously Right and Wrong
Scott uses self-handicapping studies to argue that people can hold a biased belief on the surface and an accurate one underneath, much like belief in belief.
7 min read 1,066 words
ACX
Links For May 2023
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links and news items, covering topics from architecture and history to AI developments and scientific studies, with brief commentary on many items.
24 min read 3,615 words
ACX
Links For November 2023
A collection of 47 diverse links and news items covering topics from religious practices to AI developments, with brief commentary on many items.
27 min read 4,069 words
ACX
My California Ballot 2022
Scott Alexander reviews and explains his votes on California's 2022 ballot propositions and candidates, providing analysis and commentary on each item.
30 min read 4,502 words
ACX
Peer Review Request: Depression
Scott Alexander presents a detailed guide on depression, covering its causes, symptoms, and various treatment options, including lifestyle changes, therapies, medications, and other interventions.
72 min read 11,078 words
ACX
ACX Grants 1-3 Year Updates
Scott reviews updates from two cohorts of ACX Grants recipients (from 2021 and 2024), analyzing their progress and sharing lessons learned about what makes grants successful.
83 min read 12,838 words
ACX
Crowds Are Wise (And One's A Crowd)
Scott Alexander investigates the 'wisdom of crowds' hypothesis using survey data, exploring its effectiveness and potential applications.
14 min read 2,145 words
ACX
Links For December 2022
Scott Alexander shares 57 diverse links and brief commentaries on topics ranging from politics and psychology to technology and culture.
35 min read 5,333 words
ACX
Model City Monday 9/4/23: California Dreamin'
The post examines recent developments in model city projects, including California Forever's plan in Solano County, updates on Praxis and Prospera, and brief mentions of other global initiatives.
24 min read 3,665 words
ACX
Response to Hanson On Health Care
Scott Alexander responds to Robin Hanson's reply on medical effectiveness, clarifying interpretations and reiterating arguments about the limitations of insurance experiments in evaluating medical care.
41 min read 6,243 words
ACX
Links For March 2023
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links and brief discussions on topics including AI developments, social trends, scientific studies, and cultural phenomena.
27 min read 4,178 words