Scott explores the recurring myth of evil underground humanoids across different cultures and time periods in an article written for Asterisk magazine's 'Weird' themed issue. Longer summary

Scott writes in Asterisk magazine about the recurring theme of evil underground humanoids kidnapping and torturing people, linking it from ancient Irish myths to modern conspiracy theories. He explores Richard Shaver's stories about 'deros' (evil cave dwarves) and connects them to similar mythological patterns across cultures and time periods. The post introduces the concept of an 'ur-abduction' narrative and examines why this specific theme appears so consistently throughout human storytelling. Shorter summary

A review of 'God Emperor of Dune' by Frank Herbert, analyzing its themes of power, AI risk, and human evolution, while drawing parallels to modern concerns about artificial intelligence. Longer summary

This review analyzes 'God Emperor of Dune', the fourth book in Frank Herbert's Dune series, focusing on its themes of power, AI risk, and human evolution. The reviewer discusses the main characters, particularly Leto II, the god-emperor who rules for 3,500 years as a human-sandworm hybrid. The book is presented as a meditation on leadership, loneliness, and the nature of power, with parallels drawn to modern AI risk concerns. The review also critiques the novel's lack of plot and its treatment of female characters, while highlighting its prescient themes regarding AI and human development. Shorter summary

A detective investigates deaths at a proverb-testing laboratory, uncovering a plot involving a reality-bending machine that makes proverbs literal. Longer summary

This post is a fictional detective story set in a laboratory that tests proverbs. The detective investigates two deaths at the lab and uncovers a sinister plot involving a machine that makes proverbs come true. The story is filled with wordplay and literal interpretations of proverbs, leading to a climactic confrontation where the detective uses his knowledge of sayings to defeat the villainous lab director. The narrative is presented as a mystery that gradually reveals the true nature of the lab and its machine, ending with the destruction of the proverb-manipulating technology. Shorter summary

A fictional story about alien lizards trying to build a faster-than-light communication device using moral philosophy, only to discover that moral progress is precisely slow enough to prevent this from working. Longer summary

This post is a fictional story about lizard people from Alpha Draconis 1 attempting to build an ansible, a device for faster-than-light communication. They design an elaborate system using beetles, mice, and moral philosophy, specifically negative average preference utilitarianism. The story explores concepts in ethics, physics, and the nature of moral progress. It concludes with the ansible's failure, revealing that the arc of moral progress is exactly long enough to prevent faster-than-light transmission of moral information, thus preserving fundamental physical limits. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander describes five fictional planets, each with a unique societal quirk that explores different sci-fi concepts and social commentary. Longer summary

Scott Alexander presents five fictional planets with unique societal quirks, each exploring a different sci-fi concept. Gamma Andromeda has inhabitants who artificially balance their emotions, Zyzzx Prime's leaders lose intelligence upon gaining power, K'th'ranga V maintains a complex theocracy spanning different technological ages, Chan X-3's species focuses solely on gene preservation, and New Capricorn has achieved immortality but not halted aging. Each planet illustrates a thought-provoking scenario that combines elements of science fiction with social commentary and philosophical musings. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues that real technological progress is driven by usefulness and profitability, not the coolness factor often seen in futuristic predictions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques a certain strain of futurology that predicts impressive but impractical technological advancements. He argues that real technological progress is driven by usefulness and profitability, not coolness. The post begins by listing numerous technological advancements from 1969 to 2014, then transitions to discussing why certain sci-fi predictions haven't materialized. Scott explains that space colonization, undersea domes, and massive arcologies aren't practical or necessary given current circumstances. He concludes that the lack of moon missions since 1969 is due to a lack of compelling incentives, not technological stagnation. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reframes the Thanksgiving story as a science fiction narrative to highlight its overlooked complexities and darker aspects. Longer summary

Scott Alexander retells the story of Thanksgiving as a science fiction narrative, highlighting lesser-known historical facts. The post reimagines Squanto's life as a tale of alien abduction, dystopian empires, and post-apocalyptic America. It portrays the Pilgrims as aliens with advanced technology but lacking basic knowledge, and Squanto as a complex figure trying to rebuild civilization. The narrative concludes with a reminder of the eventual near-extinction of Native Americans, drawing parallels to the aliens' actions in the story. Scott uses this sci-fi retelling to emphasize the often-overlooked complexities and dark aspects of the Thanksgiving story. Shorter summary