Scott Alexander investigates claims linking Pharaoh Djoser to Osiris and Joseph, finding little evidence for the Osiris connection but a small possibility of a link to the Joseph story. Longer summary

Scott Alexander investigates claims that Pharaoh Djoser was the inspiration for the god Osiris and the Biblical Joseph. He concludes that the connection between Djoser and Osiris is likely meaningless, but there might be a very small chance of a connection to Joseph. The post discusses Djoser's reign, the origins of Osiris worship, and the similarities between the Famine Stele legend about Djoser and Imhotep and the biblical story of Joseph. Scott examines various theories, including creationist interpretations and scholarly suggestions that the Joseph story may have been inspired by Egyptian legends. He ultimately cautions against too readily accepting such connections, noting the prevalence of similar motifs across ancient Near Eastern cultures. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reimagines the biblical story of Job as a philosophical dialogue about the existence of evil and suffering in God's creation. Longer summary

Scott Alexander presents a satirical retelling of the biblical story of Job, exploring philosophical questions about the existence of evil and suffering in a universe created by an omnipotent, benevolent God. The dialogue between Job and God touches on concepts like multiple universes, the nature of consciousness, and utilitarian ethics. God explains His creation of multiple universes, including perfectly happy ones and those with varying degrees of suffering, to maximize overall happiness. The post ends with a humorous twist on the original story and includes related tweets by the author. Shorter summary