Scott Alexander investigates whether non-religious people are more prone to believing conspiracy theories, finding a U-shaped relationship between religiosity and skepticism. Longer summary

Scott Alexander examines the claim that non-religious people are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories and woo. He analyzes various studies on beliefs in UFOs, Bigfoot, and astrology across different religious groups. The results show a more nuanced picture: both strongly religious people and outright atheists are generally less likely to believe in these theories, while those in the middle (weakly religious or agnostic) are more susceptible. Scott discusses possible explanations for this pattern, including intellectual coherence and closed-mindedness. He concludes that the relationship between religiosity and belief in conspiracy theories is more complex than commonly assumed. Shorter summary

Scott explores various fictional scenarios about the relationship between gods, belief, and power through a series of dialogues between a student and a sage. Longer summary

This post is a series of fictional dialogues between a student and a sage, exploring different hypothetical scenarios about the nature of gods and belief. Each scenario presents a unique twist on the relationship between gods, belief, and power. The dialogues cover topics such as the balance between belief and doubt, the power of unbelievers' worship, the strength gained from doubt, and the potential for humans to become gods through collective belief. The post ends with a surprising turn, suggesting a connection to a well-known religious figure. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores a thought experiment based on the Asch conformity experiment to examine the strength and flexibility of personal beliefs and societal norms. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses a thought experiment inspired by the Asch conformity experiment, where one imagines being told that their beliefs are completely wrong according to everyone else in the 'real world'. He explores how this experiment might affect various beliefs, from personal convictions to societal norms, using examples like slavery in the antebellum South and vegetarianism. The post suggests that this thought experiment can be a powerful tool for examining one's beliefs, understanding moral progress, and even as a motivational technique. Scott also reflects on how this experiment might reveal which beliefs we hold most strongly and which we might be more willing to doubt or change. Shorter summary

A person repeatedly wakes up in a Matrix-like pod, being told different versions of reality about the concept of 'family' in a series of nested scenarios, ultimately revealed to be an alien experiment. Longer summary

This fictional story describes a series of nested simulations or scenarios where the protagonist repeatedly wakes up in a Matrix-like pod. Each time, they are told a different version of reality regarding the concept of 'family'. The story explores themes of conformity, belief systems, and the malleability of memory and perception. It ends with a twist revealing that the entire experiment was conducted by aliens seeking to understand optimal social arrangements, particularly regarding the concept of family. Shorter summary