A review of Stanislas Dehaene's 'Consciousness and the Brain', discussing scientific findings on consciousness and their implications. Longer summary

This review discusses Stanislas Dehaene's book 'Consciousness and the Brain', which explores the scientific understanding of consciousness. The book defines consciousness as the ability to report on a perception, and describes experiments that differentiate conscious from unconscious processing. It explains what the brain can do unconsciously, what requires consciousness, and how consciousness operates in the brain. The review also covers the book's insights on topics like schizophrenia and the 'hard problem' of consciousness. Shorter summary

The review analyzes 'Plagues and Peoples' by William H. McNeill, which presents human history as shaped by the interaction between humans, microparasites, and societal structures. Longer summary

This book review discusses 'Plagues and Peoples' by William H. McNeill, which frames human history through the lens of microparasites and viruses. The book argues that these invisible forces have shaped civilization, from early human migration out of Africa to the development of complex societies. It explores concepts like disease gradients, the balance between microparasites and macroparasites (like governments), and how these forces influenced historical events and social structures. The review also compares McNeill's work with other big-picture histories and briefly touches on its relevance to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shorter summary

A links roundup examining various scientific studies, social developments, and historical findings, with a particular focus on recent research about confounding variables and replication issues in science. Longer summary

This is an extensive links post covering various scientific studies, news items, and interesting facts. Scott discusses several studies about confounding variables and replication in science, historical findings about ancient civilizations, new research on topics ranging from climate change to criminology, and various social and political developments. The post starts with methodological concerns in science, moves through various research findings and historical tidbits, and ends with news about ongoing projects and obituaries. The tone is analytical but casual, with Scott often adding his own commentary and pointing out interesting implications or contradictions. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering recent research, controversies, and developments across various fields including science, economics, politics and sociology, with Scott's brief commentary on each. Longer summary

This is a link roundup post covering various topics and recent research findings. Scott shares interesting links about economics, science, politics, and sociology. The post includes studies on racial bias in policing, diet soda effects, mass shootings statistics, refugee integration in Sweden, and various other topics. He also discusses controversial topics like cultural appropriation and gun control debates, while maintaining a balanced and analytical perspective. The format follows Scott's typical style of providing brief commentary and context for each link shared. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander defends his stance on the 'chemical imbalance' theory of depression, arguing that Mad In America's critique actually supports his view of a more nuanced understanding in psychiatry. Longer summary

Scott Alexander responds to a critique of his previous post about the 'chemical imbalance' theory of depression by Mad In America. He argues that the critique misses his point and actually supports his thesis. Scott analyzes each example provided by Mad In America, showing how they generally present a nuanced view of depression and serotonin's role, rather than promoting a simplistic 'serotonin deficiency' model. He criticizes Mad In America for quoting out of context and misrepresenting the sources. Scott concludes that while the 'chemical imbalance' theory has been simplified in public discourse, the psychiatric community has generally been responsible in presenting the complexities and uncertainties of depression's causes and treatments. Shorter summary