Scott Alexander examines the ethical considerations of insect farming for food, questioning whether insects have moral value and how this impacts our ethical decisions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the moral implications of insect farming for food production. He explores the question of whether insects have moral value, citing scientific debates on insect pain perception and comparing the scale of insect farming to other forms of animal agriculture. The post touches on the environmental arguments for eating insects, the scale of wild insect suffering, and how considering insect welfare can influence our moral calibration. Scott uses a mix of scientific references, philosophical arguments, and humor to explore this complex ethical issue. Shorter summary

Scott reviews 'Unlearn Your Pain', finding its psychosomatic theory of chronic pain intriguing but overstated, while acknowledging the book's techniques may still be helpful via placebo effects. Longer summary

Scott reviews the book 'Unlearn Your Pain' by Dr. Howard Schubiner, which argues that most chronic pain is psychosomatic and can be cured through psychological techniques. While Scott finds some of the book's claims intriguing, he is skeptical of its more sweeping assertions about the psychological origins of pain. He examines the evidence for and against psychosomatic theories of chronic pain, concluding that while psychological factors likely play a role, the book overstates its case and ignores contradictory evidence. Scott suggests the book's techniques may work primarily through placebo effects rather than by addressing repressed trauma as claimed. Shorter summary

Scott shares and comments on various interesting links spanning history, science, economics, and current events, with topics ranging from ancient Greek snake warfare to modern AI development. Longer summary

A collection of diverse links covering various topics, from historical anecdotes about ancient Greek warfare with snakes to modern developments in CRISPR technology and urban policy. Scott presents interesting findings about bullying interventions, Vitamin D supplementation, and mental health in different societies. The post includes commentary on various current events, including Venezuela's economic situation, drug policy debates, and AI development at OpenAI. The post maintains Scott's characteristic mix of scholarly interest and humor throughout. Shorter summary

This post systematically rebuts common Reactionary political beliefs on topics like societal decline, traditional governance, progress, and social issues through data analysis and historical examples. Longer summary

This post is an extensive rebuttal to common beliefs held by the Reactionary political movement. It systematically addresses and counters Reactionary claims about societal decline, traditional monarchies, the origins and nature of progress, corporate governance models, and modern views on race and gender. The author analyzes data and historical examples to argue against Reactionary positions, while acknowledging some valid critiques and interesting ideas within the movement. The post ends by listing various rebuttals and responses to the FAQ itself from Reactionary bloggers. Shorter summary

A review of David Foster Wallace's 'Infinite Jest', exploring its themes, structure, and critique of postmodern society through comparison with 'Illuminatus' and analysis of its complex narrative. Longer summary

This post reviews David Foster Wallace's novel 'Infinite Jest', comparing it to Robert Anton Wilson's 'Illuminatus' trilogy. The reviewer discusses the book's themes of wireheading, competition, and the need for genuine human connection. They explore the novel's critique of postmodern society, its complex narrative structure, and its use of symbolism. The review also touches on the book's treatment of addiction, entertainment, and the dangers of self-reference. The author concludes by suggesting that 'Infinite Jest' is a postmodern work that paradoxically attempts to reconnect readers with reality through its complexity and demands for engagement. Shorter summary