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Unspoken Ground Assumptions Of Discussion
Scott Alexander explores five unspoken assumptions in discussions that can lead to misunderstandings and logical fallacies when not clarified.
6 min read 903 words
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2,008 essaysSSC
Unteachable Things Hard To Teach, Study Suggests
Scott Alexander discusses a study suggesting communication skills training for doctors may be ineffective, and shares personal observations on the nuances of doctor-patient communication.
10 min read 1,416 words
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Untitled
Scott Alexander critiques feminist stereotyping of nerds, arguing that nerds' social struggles are real and not simply male entitlement.
99 min read 15,219 words
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Update On My Situation
Scott Alexander updates readers on his situation post-blog deletion, discussing job transitions, potential move to Substack, and future plans while maintaining anonymity.
7 min read 931 words
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Update To Partial Retraction Of Animal Value And Neuron Number
Scott Alexander explains discrepancies in animal moral value surveys, highlighting how methodology affects results, and emphasizes the importance of clear research procedures.
4 min read 523 words
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Utilitarianism for Engineers, Part II
Scott Alexander creates an amateur utility measurement test to explore the feasibility of comparing utilities in utilitarianism, inviting readers to participate despite its limitations.
2 min read 273 words
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Utility Weight Results
Scott Alexander analyzes the results of his utility and QALY survey, discussing interesting findings and the challenges of utility measurement.
7 min read 1,010 words
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Utopian Science
Scott Alexander proposes a utopian scientific system using prediction markets and impartial researchers to eliminate bias and efficiently resolve controversies.
14 min read 2,059 words
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Valleys have two sides
Scott Alexander critiques the Reactionary 'uncanny valley' argument for dictatorship, highlighting its practical flaws and drawing parallels with Communist regimes.
8 min read 1,127 words
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Value Differences As Differently Crystallized Metaphysical Heuristics
Scott proposes that value differences arise from people crystallizing heuristics at different levels, rather than from fundamental, incomprehensible differences in values.
38 min read 5,789 words
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Varieties Of Argumentative Experience
Scott Alexander proposes a hierarchy of types of disagreements, from low-level meta-debate to high-level philosophical differences, and discusses how to engage in more productive arguments.
40 min read 6,059 words
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Vegetarianism for Meat-Eaters
Scott Alexander proposes two strategies for meat-eaters to reduce animal suffering: eating beef instead of chicken and donating to animal charities as 'ethics offsets'.
15 min read 2,292 words
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Verses Composed Upon Reading A Review From TripAdvisor
Scott Alexander reimagines Coleridge's 'Kubla Khan' as a modern TripAdvisor review of Xanadu, blending classical poetry with contemporary tourism.
3 min read 349 words
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Virtue Ethics: Not Practically Useful, Either
Scott Alexander argues that virtue ethics is neither how people naturally think about morality nor an effective way to make people more moral, proposing alternative methods and using a grammar analogy to illustrate his point.
11 min read 1,674 words
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Vote On Values, Outsource Beliefs
Scott Alexander explores social impact bonds as a potential way to use corporate greed to solve social problems more efficiently than current government programs.
10 min read 1,538 words
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Wage Stagnation: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott analyzes wage stagnation since 1973, examining various explanations and concluding that while wages have risen 40-50%, there is still significant decoupling from productivity due to multiple factors.
42 min read 6,438 words
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Watch New Health Picks
Scott Alexander discusses potential Trump administration health-related appointments, focusing on FDA commissioner candidates Jim O'Neill and Balaji Srinivasan, and their potential to implement beneficial reforms.
13 min read 1,929 words
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We Are All MsScribe
Scott Alexander compares the MsScribe Harry Potter fandom drama to his experiences in online micronations, arguing that such behavior reflects universal human social dynamics.
14 min read 2,059 words
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We Sail Tonight For Singapore
Scott Alexander compares Singapore to Hong Kong, Macau, and Sweden using various socioeconomic indicators to challenge the claim that Singapore's success is due to its Reactionary policies.
11 min read 1,602 words
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We Wrestle Not With Flesh And Blood, But Against Powers And Principalities
Scott argues that even if past cultures were superior, restoring them is impossible because cultures evolve to fit their technological conditions, which have changed dramatically.
26 min read 3,942 words
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Weak Men Are Superweapons
Scott Alexander examines how 'weak men' arguments can be weaponized to unfairly discredit entire groups, forcing defensive coalitions and unnecessary conflicts.
20 min read 2,956 words
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Weird Psychiatric Ads Of The Seventies
Scott Alexander presents and humorously critiques a series of strange psychiatric drug advertisements from the 1960s and 1970s, highlighting their peculiar imagery and messaging.
11 min read 1,628 words
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Welcome (?), Infowars Readers
Scott Alexander addresses Infowars readers about a misattributed survey analysis, providing caveats and emphasizing proper attribution and vaccine safety.
3 min read 422 words
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Were There Dark Ages?
Scott Alexander argues that the Dark Ages in Western Europe (500-1000 AD) did occur, presenting evidence of economic, demographic, and intellectual decline during this period.
34 min read 5,119 words
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We’ve Got Five Years, What A Surprise
Scott Alexander celebrates Slate Star Codex's fifth anniversary by thanking the many people who have contributed to the blog's success and growth.
8 min read 1,136 words