Scott Alexander explores the ethics of using Sci-Hub, introducing 'Dark Rule Utilitarianism' to argue that pirating scientific papers could be ethical despite being illegal. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the ethics of using Sci-Hub, a website for pirating scientific papers. He presents arguments for and against its use, ultimately concluding that it might be ethical. He argues that while piracy can harm industries like movies, destroying the scientific journal industry through piracy could be beneficial due to its rent-seeking nature. Scott introduces the concept of 'Dark Rule Utilitarianism' to justify this stance. He then explores the broader implications of civil disobedience, using a metaphor of a magic artifact that enforces laws to different degrees across latitudes. He concludes that some level of civil disobedience can be beneficial for society, helping to dissolve inadequate equilibria. Shorter summary