Scott examines two types of happiness - one affected by predictability and one that persists - through various examples and neuroscientific concepts. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the concept of happiness and reward in relation to neuroscience and prediction error. He discusses how there seem to be two types of happiness: one that is cancelled out by predictability (like the hedonic treadmill) and another that persists even when expected. The post delves into various examples including grief, romantic relationships, and drug tolerance to illustrate this pattern. Scott also touches on AI concepts and how they might relate to human reward systems. He concludes by suggesting that while unpredicted rewards can't be consistently obtained, predicted rewards can still be enjoyable. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents results from his 2020 nootropics survey, covering effectiveness ratings, tolerance, and user experiences with various substances. Longer summary

This post presents the results of Scott Alexander's 2020 nootropics survey, where 852 respondents rated various substances on effectiveness. The survey covered a range of nootropics, from common stimulants to newer experimental substances. Key findings include the high rating of Zembrin (a kanna extract), insights on modafinil usage, and user experiences with caffeine alternatives. The post also discusses tolerance development, overall opinions on nootropics, and vendor recommendations. Scott notes that most respondents were from his blog community rather than the broader nootropics community, which he found disappointing. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores the complexities and inconsistencies of drug tolerance in psychiatry, highlighting how different drugs can produce varying tolerance effects across individuals. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the complex and often unpredictable nature of drug tolerance in psychiatry. He explores various examples of how different drugs can lead to tolerance, no tolerance, or even reverse tolerance (increased sensitivity) in different individuals. The post highlights the inconsistencies in how tolerance develops across various drugs and patients, and how this impacts psychiatric treatment. Scott expresses frustration with the lack of attention given to tolerance in psychiatric literature and the difficulty in predicting or explaining tolerance patterns. He also touches on how this unpredictability relates to addiction, the potential for missed opportunities in drug development, and the need for better understanding of tolerance mechanisms. Shorter summary