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Newtonian Ethics
Scott satirically proposes and 'proves' that morality is a form of gravity, using pseudo-scientific reasoning and calculations.
7 min read 1,078 words
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2,008 essaysSSC
Next Door In Nodrumia
Scott Alexander uses a thought experiment about a drum-free town to explore libertarian ideas on community rights, then applies these concepts to real-world housing issues and proposes charter cities as a potential solution.
19 min read 2,812 words
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Nighttime Ventilation Survey Results
Scott Alexander reports on a survey about nighttime ventilation interventions, finding modest overall improvements but some individual success stories.
4 min read 616 words
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No Clarity Around Growth Mindset
Scott Alexander critically examines the concept of growth mindset, expressing skepticism despite compelling studies and discussing various issues with the theory and its interpretation.
35 min read 5,344 words
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No Physical Substrate, No Problem
Scott Alexander refutes the idea that an AI without a physical body couldn't impact the real world, presenting various scenarios where it could gain power and influence.
12 min read 1,783 words
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No Skyscraper Stagnation
Scott Alexander refutes claims of American decline based on skyscraper construction, presenting data showing continued growth and recent boom in supertall buildings.
12 min read 1,830 words
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No Time Like The Present For AI Safety Work
Scott argues for the importance of starting AI safety research now, presenting key problems and reasons why early work is crucial.
31 min read 4,792 words
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Nobody Is Perfect, Everything Is Commensurable
Scott Alexander argues that donating 10% of income to effective charities is a more impactful way to do good than political activism, and recommends joining Giving What We Can.
24 min read 3,585 words
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Nobody Likes A Tattletale
Scott Alexander explores the ethics of tattling and promise-keeping, arguing for the importance of trustworthy promises even when they conflict with moral imperatives.
13 min read 1,899 words
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Lizardman’s Constant Is 4%
Scott Alexander explores the concept of 'Lizardman's Constant' and its implications for interpreting poll results, especially those concerning unpopular beliefs.
12 min read 1,734 words
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Nominating Oneself For The Short End Of A Tradeoff
Scott Alexander explores the concept of people 'nominating themselves for the short end of a tradeoff' through their actions, and how this relates to ideas of desert and justice, sometimes conflicting with utilitarian calculations.
10 min read 1,494 words
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Non-Dual Awareness
Scott Alexander examines 'dualization' in various fields, comparing its effects to non-dualized professions and exploring its causes and broader implications in society.
16 min read 2,441 words
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Non-Expert Explanation
Scott Alexander explores the difficulties of learning and explaining complex ideas, advocating for diverse approaches and collaborative learning despite internet criticism.
14 min read 2,152 words
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Non-Shared Environment Doesn’t Just Mean Schools And Peers
The post argues that 'non-shared environment' in twin studies is often misunderstood, encompassing more than just different experiences and potentially overestimating the impact of nurture on personality and life outcomes.
15 min read 2,256 words
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Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
Scott Alexander reports on a survey of nootropics users, finding mixed results for various substances and discussing methodological challenges in assessing their effectiveness.
22 min read 3,293 words
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Not Even A Real Links Post, Just A Blatant Ad
Scott Alexander promotes a charity event, encouraging donations to MIRI or Sankara Eye Foundation to help them win valuable services.
2 min read 213 words
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Not Even A Real Links Post, Just A Link
Scott reflects on his hasty utopian science post, viewing it as a success for prompting Robin Hanson to expand on academic prediction markets.
1 min read 55 words
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Not just a mere political issue
Scott examines the concept of political tolerance, questioning where and why society draws the line between acceptable and unacceptable political views.
14 min read 2,127 words
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Notes From The Asilomar Conference On Beneficial AI
Scott Alexander shares his experiences and insights from the Asilomar Conference on Beneficial AI, covering various aspects of AI development, risks, and ethical considerations.
19 min read 2,933 words
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November Housekeeping Post
Scott Alexander provides updates on the Less Wrong survey, his NYC trip, an upcoming meetup, and asks for lawn care advice.
3 min read 349 words
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Nydwracu’s Fnords
Scott Alexander examines how 'fnords' and similar psychological techniques may influence political discourse and polarization through unconscious associations.
14 min read 2,136 words
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NYT Is Threatening My Safety By Revealing My Real Name, So I Am Deleting The Blog
Scott Alexander deletes his blog Slate Star Codex to prevent the New York Times from revealing his real name, citing professional and safety concerns.
10 min read 1,408 words
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On first looking into Chapman’s “Pop Bayesianism”
Scott Alexander defends Bayesianism as a valuable epistemology, contrasting it with absolutist and nihilistic approaches, and argues for its usefulness in complex reasoning.
14 min read 2,110 words
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On Overconfidence
Scott Alexander discusses the problem of overconfidence in probability estimates, arguing that extreme certainty is rarely justified, especially for complex future predictions.
30 min read 4,625 words
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On Types of Typologies
Scott defends the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as a useful, if unscientific, tool for categorizing personalities, comparing it to European country classifications.
9 min read 1,258 words