Scott Alexander explains postmodernism to rationalists, using the Dark Age debate as an example, and discusses its applications, risks, and critiques. Longer summary

Scott Alexander attempts to explain postmodernism to rationalists, using the debate about the existence of a European Dark Age as an example. He describes postmodernism as focusing on how politically-motivated people weave facts to tell specific stories, rather than on the facts themselves. The post discusses how this applies to various fields and how everyone uses postmodernist thinking sometimes. Scott also explores the potential risks of postmodernism collapsing into ignoring disagreeable facts and addresses critiques of the philosophy. He concludes by comparing rationalist and postmodernist approaches to dealing with subjectivity and bias. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander summarizes and responds to comments on his Dark Ages post, addressing debates about the timeline, historical continuity, and implications of the concept. Longer summary

This post summarizes and responds to comments on a previous article about the Dark Ages. It covers debates about the timeline of the Dark Ages, challenges to the author's original claims, discussions on the continuity between classical and medieval worlds, and reflections on the philosophical and political implications of the concept of Dark Ages. The post includes various expert opinions and historical perspectives, addressing topics such as population decline, economic changes, and cultural shifts during this period. Scott Alexander acknowledges some potential errors in his original post and provides additional context and nuance to the discussion of the Dark Ages. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues that the Dark Ages in Western Europe (500-1000 AD) did occur, presenting evidence of economic, demographic, and intellectual decline during this period. Longer summary

Scott Alexander argues against the claim that the Dark Ages never happened, presenting evidence for a significant decline in Western Europe from 500-1000 AD. He addresses common counterarguments, showing how they often rely on isolated demands for rigor or misunderstandings of the term. Scott provides data on economic decline, population decrease, and reduced intellectual output during this period. He acknowledges that the topic is complex and can be politicized, but ultimately concludes that the evidence supports the existence of a 'Dark Age' in Western Europe. Shorter summary