SSC
Some Antibiotic Stagnation
Scott Alexander debunks a misleading graph on antibiotic discovery and presents more accurate data, discussing reasons for the decline in antibiotic development.
8 min read 1,171 words
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2,008 essaysSSC
Some Clarifications On Rationalist Blogging
Scott Alexander clarifies that his blog Slate Star Codex is not strictly representative of the rationalist community, and addresses common misconceptions about the blog's relationship to rationalism and effective altruism.
5 min read 665 words
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Some Context For That NYT Sugar Article
Scott criticizes a NYT article on sugar industry influence, arguing that such bias is common across food industries and doesn't justify completely reversing nutritional advice.
6 min read 800 words
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Some Groups Of People Who May Not 100% Deserve Our Eternal Scorn
Scott Alexander argues against harshly criticizing various groups often mocked by both left and right, emphasizing nuanced thinking and engagement with evidence.
28 min read 4,186 words
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Some preliminary responses to responses to the Anti-Reactionary FAQ
Scott Alexander responds to critiques of his Anti-Reactionary FAQ, addressing focus on recent trends, class gaps, sexual norms, equality, tone, and the concept of the Cathedral.
17 min read 2,510 words
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Someone Writes An Anti-Racist FAQ
Scott Alexander reviews 'The Anti-Racialist Q&A', praising its approach to arguing against racism and its display of epistemic virtue.
4 min read 499 words
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Somewhat Against Psychiatric Conditions As Domestication Failure
Scott Alexander examines a theory linking autism and schizophrenia to human self-domestication, initially dismissing it before reconsidering its merits in light of Williams Syndrome.
16 min read 2,422 words
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Sort By Controversial
A fictional account of an accidental AI creation that generates extremely controversial statements, leading to societal division and paranoia.
32 min read 4,852 words
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OT56: Spur Of The Comment
An open thread post covering comment highlights, potential comment policy changes, user unbanning, and guidelines for reader communication with the author.
3 min read 432 words
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Squareallworthy On UBI Plans
Scott Alexander reviews analyses of various UBI plans, finding most unrealistic, then speculates on alternative approaches to implement UBI successfully.
7 min read 1,085 words
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SSC Endorses Clinton, Johnson, Or Stein
Scott Alexander endorses Clinton (or Johnson/Stein in safe states) over Trump, citing concerns about Trump's unpredictability and potential negative impacts on conservatism and social dynamics.
34 min read 5,167 words
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SSC Gets World Cup Fever
Scott Alexander humorously explores the World Cup's complex rules, game theory in soccer, and unusual incentive structures in international tournaments.
5 min read 753 words
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SSC Gives A Graduation Speech
Scott Alexander gives a satirical graduation speech questioning the value of formal education and proposing an alternative basic income system, emphasizing kindness and epistemic humility.
41 min read 6,240 words
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SSC Gives A Wedding Speech
Scott Alexander delivers a wedding speech for Mike and Hannah Blume, blending personal anecdotes, humor, and reflections on the couple's potential impact on future generations.
11 min read 1,580 words
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SSC Journal Club: AI Timelines
Scott analyzes a new survey of AI researchers, showing diverse opinions on AI timelines and risks, with many acknowledging potential dangers but few prioritizing safety research.
16 min read 2,467 words
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SSC Journal Club: Analytical Thinking Style And Religion
Scott Alexander examines a failed replication of a study claiming analytical thinking promotes religious disbelief, and discusses the broader implications for understanding the relationship between thinking styles and religious belief.
23 min read 3,531 words
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SSC Journal Club: Childhood Trauma And Cognition
Scott Alexander discusses a study challenging the idea that childhood abuse lowers IQ, and explores its implications for understanding the effects of child abuse on various outcomes.
9 min read 1,254 words
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SSC Journal Club: Cipriani On Antidepressants
Scott Alexander critically examines a major meta-analysis on antidepressant efficacy, noting potential biases and comparing its surprising drug rankings to his own previous analysis.
18 min read 2,764 words
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SSC Journal Club: Dissolving The Fermi Paradox
Scott Alexander reviews a paper that claims to solve the Fermi Paradox by using probability distributions instead of point estimates in Drake Equation calculations.
7 min read 1,026 words
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SSC Journal Club: Expert Prediction Of Experiments
A study on expert prediction of behavioral economics experiments finds that experts have only a slight advantage over non-experts, suggesting that a separate 'rationality' skill may be more important than specific expertise.
12 min read 1,729 words
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SSC Journal Club: Friston On Computational Mood
Scott reviews a paper proposing a computational model of mood and emotions based on predictive processing, discussing its implications for understanding mood disorders.
20 min read 3,081 words
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SSC Journal Club: MacIntyre On Cloth Masks
Scott Alexander analyzes a study suggesting cloth masks may be harmful, but remains cautiously in favor of their use despite the uncertainty.
11 min read 1,652 words
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SSC Journal Club: Mental Disorders As Networks
The post explores a new model for understanding mental disorders as networks of interconnected symptoms rather than discrete diseases with underlying causes.
19 min read 2,856 words
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SSC Journal Club: Relaxed Beliefs Under Psychedelics And The Anarchic Brain
Scott reviews a paper proposing that psychedelics work by relaxing priors in the brain, potentially treating mental illness but also risking side effects.
18 min read 2,690 words
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SSC Journal Club: Serotonin Receptors
Scott reviews a theory about serotonin receptors that explains how they help cope with stress, and discusses its implications and limitations.
12 min read 1,756 words