Scott Alexander reviews the 'Malleus Maleficarum', a 15th-century witch-hunting manual, analyzing its content and historical context while reflecting on the dangers of limited knowledge. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews the 'Malleus Maleficarum', a 15th-century manual for witch-hunters, exploring its contents, historical context, and implications. He examines the book's theological arguments, descriptions of witchcraft, and guidelines for witch trials, highlighting the authors' attempts at rationality within their belief system. The review concludes by reflecting on the tragedy of well-intentioned people causing harm due to limited understanding, drawing parallels to modern challenges in psychiatry and knowledge. Shorter summary

A comprehensive review of 'The Castrato' by Martha Feldman, exploring the history, biology, and social impact of castrati singers in Italy. Longer summary

This book review explores 'The Castrato' by Martha Feldman, detailing the history of castrati singers in Italy from the 16th to 19th centuries. It covers their origins, biology, vocal abilities, social status, and relationships with the church and aristocracy. The review also draws parallels to modern practices and speculates on potential future implications of human modification for entertainment or power. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines ecclesiology in non-religious movements, using the Catholic Church as a model of organizational success, and questions why other causes don't adopt similar structures. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the concept of ecclesiology in non-religious movements, examining how organizations can effectively capture and direct the energy of their members. He discusses the trade-offs involved in organizational design, such as strictness vs. relaxation, orthodoxy vs. flexibility, and top-down vs. bottom-up control. The post then highlights the Catholic Church as an impressively successful organization, analyzing its key features. Finally, Scott ponders why other movements don't adopt similar church-like structures, suggesting that there might be a memetic immune response against such organizations in modern society. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines Pope Francis's PR-friendly actions, questioning why previous Popes didn't employ similar strategies and considering how this shift reflects changing public values. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses Pope Francis being named Time's Person of the Year, expressing appreciation for the Pope's good work while questioning the public's focus on his PR-friendly actions. He argues that these actions, like washing the feet of the poor or living humbly, are obvious PR moves that any savvy leader would make. Scott wonders why previous Popes didn't engage in similar activities, suggesting that Francis might be the first to truly understand modern PR. The post ends with an edit considering that perhaps previous Popes' strategies of projecting power and wealth were actually more effective for their times, implying a significant shift in public values over the past century. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering various topics from government plots and scientific studies to religious news and technological developments. Longer summary

Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links from March, ranging from humorous historical anecdotes to serious scientific developments. The links cover topics like failed CIA plots against Cuba, religious developments including the Catholic Church's growth and interesting saints, scientific studies about diet and health, political observations, and technological news both positive (like graphene desalination) and negative (like various platform shutdowns). The post maintains a light, sometimes humorous tone while sharing these varied pieces of information. Shorter summary