Scott Alexander critiques Ben Hoffman's arguments about Vitamin D dosing, maintaining that it is primarily a bone-related chemical with limited evidence for other benefits. Longer summary

Scott Alexander responds to Ben Hoffman's critique of his views on Vitamin D dosing. He argues that ancestral populations likely received much less Vitamin D from sunlight than Hoffman suggests, and that the doses used in most studies are appropriate. Scott reviews the literature on Vitamin D dosing, discusses various recommendations and debates within the medical community, and explains why he remains skeptical of claims about Vitamin D's non-skeletal benefits, including for COVID-19 treatment. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines mental disorders through the lens of dynamical systems theory, exploring how this perspective complements and contrasts with taxometric approaches. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the concept of mental disorders as dynamical systems with attractor states, contrasting this with the taxometric approach. He uses examples like Alice's health insurance situation and Bob's depression to illustrate how complex systems can have stable states that attract nearby unstable situations. The post discusses how this perspective can help understand the nature of depression and other mental disorders, showing how they can be both dimensional and categorical. Scott also draws parallels between the complexity of mental disorders and the global economy, emphasizing the intricate interconnections and the difficulty of predicting outcomes or effective interventions. Shorter summary