Scott Alexander explores the concept of 'isolated demands for rigor' across philosophy, politics, and science, criticizing the selective application of rigorous standards. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the concept of 'isolated demands for rigor' using various examples. He starts with a philosophical thought experiment about Heraclitus and personal identity, then moves on to discuss how this concept applies in politics, science, and statistics. The post criticizes the selective application of rigorous standards only when it benefits one's argument or position, while ignoring these standards in other cases. Scott ends with a fictional scene featuring pre-Socratic philosophers in a Western setting, illustrating the absurdity of selectively applying philosophical concepts. Shorter summary