Scott Alexander argues for generally believing reports of unusual mental experiences, countering skepticism about unfalsifiable internal states. Longer summary

Scott Alexander responds to Resident Contrarian's skepticism about unfalsifiable internal states like jhana meditation experiences. He argues that we should generally believe people's reports of unusual mental experiences, based on examples like visual imagination, synaesthesia, and phantom limb pain. Scott critiques RC's arguments about 'spoonies' and dissociative identity disorder, providing a more nuanced view of these conditions. He emphasizes the importance of considering evidence and priors rather than relying solely on intuition about whether people are lying. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander humorously analyzes 'My Immortal' as an alchemical allegory, combining medieval alchemy, Rosicrucian writings, and Goethe's Faust. Longer summary

Scott Alexander presents a satirical analysis of the infamous Harry Potter fanfiction 'My Immortal', arguing that it is actually a complex alchemical allegory combining medieval alchemy, Rosicrucian writings, and Goethe's Faust. He breaks down the story's structure, characters, and symbolism, drawing parallels to alchemical stages and concepts. The post is written in a tongue-in-cheek manner, mimicking academic literary analysis while applied to a notoriously bad piece of writing. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander criticizes Ted Chiang's article that compares AI risk to capitalism, arguing that the analogy is flawed and the reasoning behind it is unsound. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques Ted Chiang's article comparing AI risk to capitalism, arguing that the comparison is flawed and the reasoning unsound. He points out that AI risk concerns originated from academics, not just Silicon Valley, and that drawing analogies between scientific concepts and social phenomena doesn't disprove the original concept. Scott also criticizes Chiang's use of psychological projection to explain AI fears, noting the dangers of amateur psychoanalysis. He concludes by emphasizing that this approach to risk assessment is inappropriate for potentially catastrophic issues. Shorter summary

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. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses a Buzzfeed article criticizing growth mindset research, particularly the work of Carol Dweck. While acknowledging the hype around growth mindset and his own skepticism, Scott argues that the article's critique is not sufficiently robust. He points out that despite the reasons to be suspicious, the growth mindset studies have shown strong results. Scott identifies three main criticisms in the Buzzfeed piece but finds them lacking in strength to fully debunk the theory. He emphasizes the importance of thorough, evidence-based criticism rather than relying on intuition or weak arguments. Scott warns against dismissing potentially valid research too quickly, using an analogy to climate change denial tactics. He concludes by calling for more rigorous efforts to disprove growth mindset if it is indeed flawed. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering various topics from Judaism and science to media bias and hate crime hoaxes, with Scott's commentary on each story. Longer summary

This is one of Scott's regular link posts, where he shares interesting articles and studies he's found with brief commentary on each. The links cover a wide range of topics including religious practices, scientific research, healthcare policy, media bias, and social issues. Among the notable items are studies on early school starting age and crime rates, fake hate crime reports after Trump's election, and research on gender differences in medical care. The tone is analytical and sometimes skeptical, with Scott often providing additional context or pointing out methodological issues. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues that, contrary to his reputation as an isolationist, Trump's statements suggest he may be more likely to engage in military interventions than Clinton, who represents a more predictable foreign policy approach. Longer summary

Scott Alexander examines claims that Trump is an isolationist and safer choice than Clinton regarding foreign policy. He argues that Trump's statements and past positions suggest he may be more likely to engage in military interventions. Alexander analyzes Trump's statements on ISIS, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, finding many hawkish positions. He discusses Trump's criticism of NATO and international trade agreements, suggesting this could destabilize the post-WWII peace. Alexander then examines Clinton's positions, arguing they are more moderate and predictable. He concludes that while Clinton's foreign policy isn't perfect, she represents a lower-variance, more stable choice compared to the unpredictability of Trump's potential actions. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links spanning drug policy, scientific studies, historical oddities, and current events, with Scott's commentary on each. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting news and studies. It covers a wide range of topics including drug policy changes around suboxone, scientific studies about intelligence and inflammation, historical oddities like Japanese WWII plans, educational research, and current events. The post includes both serious academic content (like studies on behavioral therapy and economic effects of aging) and lighter items (like Pokemon Go at Holocaust museums). Scott provides brief commentary and context for each link, often connecting them to his previous writing or ongoing themes. Shorter summary

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. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the recent strike by junior doctors in Britain, drawing on his experience in the Irish medical system. He describes the extremely demanding work conditions faced by junior doctors, including 100-hour work weeks and 36-hour shifts, which lead to burnout, depression, and a mass exodus of doctors to other countries. The British system responds by importing foreign doctors rather than addressing systemic issues. While Scott doesn't know the specifics of the current dispute, his experience leads him to sympathize with the junior doctors' position, believing their complaints are likely legitimate. He concludes by expressing a desire for a more principled system to address labor disputes, while acknowledging that in a socialized healthcare system, strikes may be necessary to address grievances. Shorter summary

Scott shares diverse links ranging from optical illusions and Bitcoin drama to educational research and medical controversies, with commentary on methodology and social implications. Longer summary

A collection of interesting links covering various topics. The post starts with scientific curiosities like the McCullough Effect optical illusion and updates on potential alien megastructures, then moves through educational research, Bitcoin controversies, and employment discrimination. It includes discussions of medical issues in the UK, interesting methodologies in gender research, and immigration policies. The post ends with various studies on economics, psychology, and social issues, including an intriguing study about Vietnam veterans' children's income. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links spanning scientific research, politics, economics, and culture, with brief commentary from Scott Alexander on each item. Longer summary

This is a links post, where Scott Alexander shares and briefly comments on various interesting articles, studies, and news items. The post covers a wide range of topics including scientific studies about genetics, intelligence, and obesity; political news about Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders; economic research about minimum wage and business practices; and various other topics like climate change and mathematical curiosities. Scott provides short commentary and often connects the links to previous discussions or adds context from his own knowledge. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering various topics from scientific studies and economic policies to cultural oddities, with particular focus on deworming program controversies and workplace discrimination research. Longer summary

This is a link roundup post where Scott shares various interesting articles and studies. The topics covered range from scientific discoveries to economic policies, from social experiments to cultural oddities. He discusses several major studies and their implications, including birth order effects, workplace discrimination in France, and the controversy around deworming programs. The post also includes various curiosities like botanical bioregions, moon naming conventions, and Chinese stock market intervention, all presented with Scott's characteristic mix of insight and humor. Shorter summary

A curated collection of interesting links spanning medicine, economics, social issues and quirky stories, with Scott's commentary on various developments and findings. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links and news curated by Scott Alexander, covering a wide range of topics from medical research to economics, social issues, and quirky stories. The post includes discussions of new medical findings about heart receptors, debates about alcohol health effects, archaeological stories, studies about demographics and education, and various social and economic developments. Scott adds his own commentary and insights to many of the links, particularly around housing policy, scientific studies, and mental health care. Shorter summary

Scott debunks viral misinformation about false rape accusation rates and provides more accurate estimates, while criticizing the spread of such inaccuracies in feminist circles. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques a viral Buzzfeed article that claims false rape accusations are extremely rare, showing how the article's statistics are severely flawed. He provides a more accurate analysis of false rape accusation rates, estimating they affect between 0.3% to 3% of men in their lifetimes. Scott expresses frustration at how readily such misinformation spreads in feminist circles and urges readers to be extremely skeptical of statistics from these sources. He concludes by discussing the difficulty of dealing with rape accusations given the significant rates of both rape and false accusations. Shorter summary

Scott shares and comments on various interesting links from February 2014, covering science, medicine, education, technology, and politics. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links from February 2014, covering a wide range of topics. Scott starts with unusual scientific findings about sobriety and chewing, then covers social experiments in schools, tech culture in San Francisco, medical system stories both good and bad, and various scientific studies about obesity, depression, and therapy. He also discusses education policy, with particular focus on coding bootcamps and charter schools, as well as various economic and political topics. The post ends with some technological developments including Bitcoin and a project for worldwide satellite internet. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering topics from Mormon facial recognition to migraine treatments to housing policy, with Scott's analysis and commentary on each. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting stories and articles. It covers diverse topics including a study about Mormons being able to recognize each other, Silicon Valley housing issues, statistics about African immigrants, medical research about migraines and gum chewing, updates on anti-aging drugs, and various cultural and political stories. The post includes both lighthearted items (like puppy pregnancy syndrome in India) and serious policy discussions (like minimum wage debates), while maintaining Scott's characteristic mix of intellectual curiosity and careful analysis. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links and brief commentary on topics ranging from historical anecdotes to recent technological and scientific developments. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and brief commentary on various topics. It covers historical anecdotes, technological developments, scientific discoveries, social issues, and quirky facts. Scott Alexander discusses topics such as Amazon's drone delivery announcement, promising medical technologies, cancer research, personality disorders, polyamory, and unusual state facts. The post has a lighthearted tone and includes a mix of serious analysis and humorous observations. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering history, science, economics, and culture, with Scott's commentary and observations on each topic. Longer summary

This is a links post featuring various interesting news stories, studies, and websites. The topics range from historical oddities (like King Strang's Michigan island kingdom and the Candid Camera hijacking incident), to scientific studies (about morning sickness and IQ, gene therapy), to economic analysis (about disposable income and healthcare costs), and cultural observations. Scott includes personal commentary and humor throughout, making connections between different topics and offering his perspective on various issues. Shorter summary

Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links ranging from scientific studies and economic developments to cultural oddities and humor pieces. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links covering various topics from science, society, and technology. The links include studies about gender income gaps, nitrogen-fixing crops, racial representation in India, and unusual scientific findings. There are also some humorous entries about autocorrect fails and weather photos, as well as interesting cultural phenomena like the Patel Motel Cartel and Sweden's Gavle Goat. The post combines serious scientific and social commentary with lighter cultural observations. Shorter summary

The post details the housing, urban planning, and land use in Raikoth, a fictional country where people live in yurts and cities are designed for cleanliness and tranquility. Longer summary

This post describes the housing and urban planning of Raikoth, a fictional country. Raikolin people primarily live in yurts, which are cheap, mobile, and adaptable. Cities are designed to be clean, quiet, and aesthetically pleasing, with strict rules against littering, noise pollution, and visual clutter. The country also has vast wilderness areas where people can live freely away from civilization. The post outlines the unique features of Raikothin cities, land use policies, and the option for citizens to live in remote, challenging environments. Shorter summary

Scott shares an eclectic collection of interesting links he found online, covering topics like economics, urban planning, science and psychology, with his own commentary added. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links and articles Scott found online. The topics range from economics and social systems, through urban planning and science, to education and psychology studies. The post includes studies about gender discrimination, nuclear power safety statistics, and the effects of moderate drinking on health. Scott adds his own commentary and analysis to many of the links, often with a touch of humor or irony. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores what makes puns truly great, providing numerous examples and discussing various types of exceptional wordplay. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques a Buzzfeed list of 'greatest puns', arguing that truly great puns require more than just word similarity. He explores various types of exceptional puns, including those with multiple meanings, anti-puns, and puns requiring extensive background knowledge. Scott provides numerous examples of clever puns, discussing their complexity and creativity. He concludes by nominating what he considers the greatest pun of all time: a multilingual, historically-based pun attributed to Sir Charles Napier, though he notes it's likely apocryphal. Shorter summary