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Seeming and Being Empathetic
Scott Alexander examines the limitations of empathy training in medical education and shares his experiences learning to express empathy effectively as a doctor.
17 min read 2,568 words
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2,008 essaysSSC
Selection bias and atheist stereotypes
Scott Alexander explores how selection bias might create the stereotype of angry, vocal atheists, and speculates on how this concept might apply to other groups.
4 min read 620 words
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Self-Serving Bias
Scott Alexander examines self-serving bias and status quo defense using Oregon's gas station law change, arguing for better rational debate skills to navigate societal changes.
10 min read 1,512 words
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Sentimental Cartography
Scott Alexander showcases and advocates for 'sentimental cartography', the art of creating geographic-style maps for non-geographic concepts, presenting various modern examples and lamenting its relative obscurity.
6 min read 822 words
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Setting The Default
Scott Alexander uses a couples therapy case to explore how cultural defaults influence our judgments on relationship issues, reflecting on the importance of culture wars in shaping societal norms.
14 min read 2,165 words
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Short Book Reviews April 2019
Scott Alexander reviews three books: a controversial psychotherapy text, an introduction to Lacan's philosophy, and a rationalist-themed fantasy novel.
19 min read 2,831 words
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Should AI Be Open?
Scott Alexander argues that OpenAI's open-source strategy for AI development could be dangerous, potentially risking human extinction if AI progresses rapidly.
28 min read 4,288 words
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Should Buzzfeed Publish Claims Which Are Explosive If True But Not Yet Proven?
Scott Alexander critiques a Buzzfeed article skeptical of growth mindset research, arguing that while skepticism is warranted, more robust evidence is needed to disprove the theory.
10 min read 1,505 words
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Should Psychiatry Test For Lead More?
Scott Alexander examines whether psychiatrists should test for lead more often, concluding that while it could be relevant in some cases, there's not enough evidence to justify universal testing.
27 min read 4,159 words
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Should You Reverse Any Advice You Hear?
Scott Alexander discusses how people tend to seek advice that reinforces their existing tendencies and proposes considering the opposite of appealing advice.
11 min read 1,595 words
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Side Effects May Include Anything
Scott Alexander criticizes websites that misleadingly suggest drug side effects by scraping FDA data, potentially causing patients to stop taking necessary medications.
7 min read 1,072 words
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Silicon Valley: A Reality Check
Scott Alexander argues that media criticism of Silicon Valley based on products like Juicero ignores the significant innovative and altruistic work being done in the tech hub.
13 min read 1,901 words
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Simpler Times
Scott Alexander examines violent children's songs from the past to discuss changing societal norms and the reliability of social science versus conventional wisdom.
8 min read 1,218 words
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Skin In The Game
Scott Alexander examines the ethics of sympathy for workers in difficult professions, exploring the tension between economic incentives and personal experiences in shaping our views on labor issues.
25 min read 3,856 words
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Sleep – Now By Prescription
Scott Alexander critiques the medical system's preference for expensive prescription sleep aids like Ramelteon over cheaper alternatives like melatonin, while sharing interesting facts about melatonin's uses.
9 min read 1,316 words
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Sleep Support: An Individual Randomized Controlled Trial
Scott Alexander conducts a personal randomized controlled trial of a sleep supplement, finding no significant effect over placebo, but gains insights into his sleep patterns.
9 min read 1,268 words
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Slightly Skew Systems Of Government
Scott Alexander describes three fictional and slightly absurd systems of government: an acausal democracy, a constitutional mobocracy, and a meta-republic with representatives from various governing philosophies.
9 min read 1,369 words
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Slow But Steady
The post highlights the effectiveness of bednets in combating malaria in Africa, citing impressive statistics and encouraging donations to continue this progress.
3 min read 444 words
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Social Censorship: The First Offender Model
Scott Alexander explores how minority views can be silenced through social censorship, using a 'first offender model' to explain the maintenance of taboos despite significant private support.
8 min read 1,160 words
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Social Justice And Words, Words, Words
Scott Alexander critiques social justice terminology, arguing that words like 'privilege' and 'racism' are used as weapons rather than tools for understanding.
27 min read 4,178 words
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Social Justice For The Highly-Demanding-Of-Rigor
Scott presents evidence for the reality and high economic costs of racial and gender discrimination, arguing that fighting prejudice is important and potentially effective.
17 min read 2,509 words
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Social Psychology Is A Flamethrower
Scott argues that social psychology is often misused in political discourse, presenting counterintuitive claims to demonstrate how easily it can be manipulated to support various agendas.
23 min read 3,415 words
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Society Is Fixed, Biology Is Mutable
Scott Alexander argues that biological solutions to societal problems may be more effective and easier to implement than social interventions, challenging common perceptions about mutability of human characteristics.
7 min read 935 words
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Socratic Grilling
Scott Alexander advocates for 'Socratic grilling' as a valuable learning tool, urging people not to mistake genuine confusion and questioning for arrogance or challenges to authority.
10 min read 1,434 words
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Solidarity
Scott Alexander discusses the British junior doctors' strike, detailing the harsh working conditions and systemic issues that likely led to it, based on his experience in a similar system.
19 min read 2,838 words