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Everything Not Obligatory Is Forbidden
A satirical future op-ed argues that not giving children 'super-enhancement gene therapy' is child abuse, mirroring current pro-vaccination arguments.
5 min read 719 words
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2,008 essaysSSC
The Influenza Of Evil
Scott Alexander explores how evil evolves to evade societal recognition, drawing parallels with flu viruses and analyzing modern bullying tactics.
11 min read 1,610 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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Face Masks: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Alexander reviews evidence on face mask effectiveness against coronavirus, concluding they likely offer some protection despite CDC recommendations against general public use.
32 min read 4,933 words
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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
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Fake Euthanasia Statistics
Scott Alexander debunks misleading statistics about euthanasia in the Netherlands, showing claims of widespread non-consensual euthanasia are false and not supported by careful analysis of the data.
28 min read 4,188 words
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Fallacies Of Reversed Moderation
Scott Alexander describes 'fallacies of reversed moderation,' where moderate positions are misinterpreted as extreme opposites of the consensus view.
5 min read 775 words
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Fear And Loathing At Effective Altruism Global 2017
Scott Alexander attends the Effective Altruism Global 2017 conference, describing both the practical charity work and bizarre philosophical speculations of the movement, ultimately admiring their genuine commitment to doing good.
27 min read 4,123 words
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Fearful Symmetry
Scott Alexander examines the parallels between social justice and anti-social justice groups, arguing that shared experiences of perceived persecution could lead to better understanding and less conflict.
45 min read 6,866 words
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Fermat’s Last Stand Coordination Thread
Scott Alexander is organizing a new 'Dungeons & Discourse' philosophical role-playing game campaign, seeking players and DMs with specific preferences and philosophical knowledge.
4 min read 477 words
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Fermat’s Last Stand: Game Rosters
Scott Alexander organizes online groups for the game 'Fermat's Last Stand', providing player lists and DM contact information, and invites potential replacements to comment.
3 min read 464 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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Fetal Attraction: Abortion and the Principle of Charity
Scott Alexander argues that claims about pro-lifers secretly wanting to oppress women are uncharitable and likely false, and that we should engage with actual philosophical disagreements on abortion.
32 min read 4,918 words
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Fifty (More) Swifties
The post presents 50 'Tom Swifties', a form of wordplay involving quotes and related adverbs, demonstrating the author's wit and knowledge across various fields.
5 min read 699 words
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Fifty Swifties
Scott Alexander presents a list of 50 original Tom Swifties, showcasing witty wordplay across various topics.
5 min read 704 words
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Fight Me, Psychologists: Birth Order Effects Exist And Are Very Strong
Scott Alexander presents survey data showing a strong overrepresentation of oldest siblings among his blog readers, challenging the view that birth order effects are negligible.
12 min read 1,803 words
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Figure/Ground Illusions
Scott Alexander discusses how figure/ground illusions in ideological debates can make balanced representation appear biased, using examples from effective altruism and AI risk.
8 min read 1,155 words
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Financial Incentives Are Weaker Than Social Incentives But Very Important Anyway
Scott Alexander critiques an NYT article on the weakness of financial incentives, arguing that they remain crucial as a counterweight to powerful social incentives.
11 min read 1,611 words
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Fish – Now By Prescription
Scott Alexander examines overpriced medical products like Lovaza and Deplin, arguing they serve a purpose in the medical system, but criticizes exorbitant BRCA gene testing prices as harmful.
15 min read 2,213 words
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Five Case Studies On Politicization
Scott Alexander examines how issues become politicized along tribal lines, preventing rational discussion and leading to counterproductive behaviors.
38 min read 5,839 words
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Five More Years
Scott Alexander provides detailed predictions for the next five years on topics ranging from AI and politics to science and culture, with probability estimates for specific outcomes.
21 min read 3,126 words
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Five Planets In Search Of A Sci-Fi Story
Scott Alexander describes five fictional planets, each with a unique societal quirk that explores different sci-fi concepts and social commentary.
8 min read 1,160 words
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Five Years and One Week of Less Wrong
Scott Alexander reflects on five years of Less Wrong, highlighting the community's intellectual progress in various areas of rationality and philosophy.
18 min read 2,683 words
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Fix Science In Half An Hour
Scott Alexander humorously proposes a reality TV show called 'Replication Lab!' to address the crisis of replication in psychology by making the process more entertaining.
3 min read 456 words
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Floor Employment
Scott Alexander explores the concept of 'floor jobs' as easily accessible employment options that can serve as a safety net, presenting various examples and their pros and cons.
15 min read 2,260 words