How to explore Scott Alexander's work and his 1500+ blog posts? This unaffiliated fan website lets you sort and search through the whole codex. Enjoy!

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20 posts found
Nov 01, 2024
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Links For November 2024

46 min • 6,321 words • Comments pending • podcast (41 min)
A diverse collection of news items, studies, and interesting facts from November 2024, covering topics from scientific discoveries to cultural phenomena. Longer summary
This post is a compilation of various news items, studies, and interesting facts from November 2024. It covers a wide range of topics including scientific discoveries, political events, technological advancements, cultural phenomena, and historical anecdotes. The post is structured as a numbered list, with each item briefly summarizing a piece of news or information. Some notable items include a new schizophrenia drug approval, YouGov polling results on various historical figures, findings on genetic IQ changes over time, and updates on AI technology and its implications. Shorter summary
Jul 24, 2024
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Links for July 2024

23 min • 3,151 words • 1,000 comments • 180 likes • podcast (20 min)
Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of 41 links and news items, covering topics from science and politics to history and technology, with brief commentaries and insights. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 41 diverse links and news items covering a wide range of topics. The items include scientific studies, political developments, historical anecdotes, technological advancements, and cultural phenomena. Scott Alexander presents these with brief commentaries, often adding his own insights or expressing skepticism about certain claims. The tone is informative and occasionally humorous, with Scott pointing out interesting connections or implications of the information presented. Shorter summary
Jun 20, 2024
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Fake Tradition Is Traditional

11 min • 1,535 words • 813 comments • 349 likes • podcast (9 min)
Scott Alexander defends the practice of looking to idealized traditions for inspiration, arguing it's a common and useful human approach to creativity and innovation. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the concept of tradition and how it's often misunderstood or criticized. He argues that references to the past or tradition are often just 'pointers' to specific aspects people appreciate, not necessarily an endorsement of everything from that era. He challenges the idea that past cultures didn't look back to idealized histories, providing examples from various periods showing how looking to an idealized past has been a common human practice. Scott suggests that using tradition as inspiration can be a psychologically easier way to introduce new ideas or practices than presenting them as entirely original. Shorter summary
Feb 29, 2024
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Links For February 2024

36 min • 4,992 words • 585 comments • 115 likes • podcast (32 min)
A compilation of 55 diverse links and brief commentaries on various topics, including scientific studies, historical anecdotes, cultural phenomena, and technological developments. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 55 diverse links and brief commentaries on various topics, ranging from scientific studies and historical anecdotes to cultural phenomena and technological developments. The author covers subjects such as economic miracles, AI developments, religious trends, and social issues. Many items include claims or studies that the author finds interesting or surprising, often with a skeptical or analytical perspective. The post also includes updates on previous topics discussed by the author and references to other bloggers or researchers in the rationalist and effective altruism communities. Shorter summary
Dec 01, 2023
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Links For November 2023

29 min • 4,047 words • 532 comments • 125 likes • podcast (26 min)
A collection of 47 diverse links and news items covering topics from religious practices to AI developments, with brief commentary on many items. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 47 diverse links and news items covering various topics. It includes discussions on religious practices, video games, political trends, scientific studies, AI developments, economic analyses, historical anecdotes, and cultural phenomena. The author provides brief commentary on many of the items, often with a mix of humor and critical analysis. The links range from academic studies and economic reports to quirky historical facts and contemporary cultural observations. Shorter summary
Jul 06, 2023
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Links For July 2023

26 min • 3,573 words • 544 comments • 117 likes • podcast (19 min)
A diverse collection of links and news items from July 2023, covering topics from historical curiosities to current technological and social developments. Longer summary
This post is a collection of interesting links and news items from July 2023. It covers a wide range of topics including historical curiosities, scientific studies, social issues, technological advancements, and current events. The post touches on subjects such as town naming, polyamory research, AI developments, and political decisions. It also includes some humorous and unusual facts, as well as commentary on social and cultural trends. Shorter summary
Jun 01, 2023
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Links For May 2023

26 min • 3,583 words • 737 comments • 125 likes • podcast (23 min)
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links and news items, covering topics from architecture and history to AI developments and scientific studies, with brief commentary on many items. Longer summary
This post is a collection of various links and news items curated by Scott Alexander. It covers a wide range of topics including architecture, history, animal welfare, optical illusions, scientific studies, AI developments, demographics, and more. Scott provides brief commentary on many of the items, sometimes expressing his personal opinions or highlighting interesting aspects. The post includes both light-hearted topics (like unusual baby names) and more serious discussions (such as AI safety concerns and research on gender bias in academia). Shorter summary
Apr 14, 2022
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Links For April

17 min • 2,270 words • 385 comments • 66 likes • podcast (17 min)
Scott Alexander shares 33 diverse links on topics ranging from history and science to technology and politics, offering brief summaries and commentary on each. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 33 diverse links and brief summaries on various topics, including history, science, technology, politics, and culture. Scott Alexander covers a wide range of subjects, from the history of garlic and magnets to AI-generated art, touching on topics like language models, Nobel laureates by state, ivermectin studies, nuclear weapons, and unusual legal cases. The post showcases interesting facts, recent studies, and thought-provoking ideas across multiple disciplines. Shorter summary
Nov 25, 2021
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Links For November

26 min • 3,606 words • 803 comments • 63 likes • podcast (30 min)
Scott Alexander shares 34 varied links and pieces of information on topics including science, history, politics, and technology, with brief commentary on many items. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 34 diverse links and snippets of information on various topics. It covers subjects ranging from Jeff Bezos' biological father, to studies on Christianity's growth, to climate change discussions, to updates on AI progress. The post also includes commentary on current events like the University of Austin controversy and political polling trends. Many of the links discuss recent scientific studies or historical anecdotes, often with Scott's brief analysis or opinion added. Shorter summary
Oct 14, 2021
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Links For October

21 min • 2,866 words • 507 comments • 64 likes • podcast (24 min)
A compilation of 30 diverse links on various topics including science, history, technology, and culture, with brief commentaries by Scott Alexander. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 30 diverse links and brief discussions on various topics. It covers a wide range of subjects including scientific findings, historical anecdotes, technological developments, cultural phenomena, and current events. The post touches on topics such as oil spills, architecture, IQ research, chronic pain therapy, alcohol consumption, AI safety, and more. Scott Alexander provides short commentaries or explanations for each link, often adding his own insights or connecting the information to broader themes. Shorter summary
Sep 20, 2021
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Links For September

24 min • 3,283 words • 710 comments • 65 likes • podcast (28 min)
Scott Alexander presents a curated list of 37 diverse and interesting links, covering topics from historical events to recent scientific studies, with brief summaries and occasional commentary. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 37 links to various articles, studies, and interesting facts across a wide range of topics. Scott Alexander presents these links with brief summaries or comments, covering subjects from historical events and scientific studies to economic theories and technological advancements. The tone is informative and sometimes humorous, with Scott occasionally offering personal opinions or admitting to previous errors. The links span diverse areas including politics, psychology, economics, technology, and culture. Shorter summary
May 28, 2021
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Your Book Review: Humankind

55 min • 7,635 words • 288 comments • 58 likes • podcast (50 min)
A critical review of Rutger Bregman's 'Humankind', analyzing its argument that human nature is fundamentally good, while highlighting both flaws and valuable insights in the book. Longer summary
This review critiques Rutger Bregman's book 'Humankind', which argues that human nature is fundamentally good. The reviewer analyzes Bregman's arguments, pointing out logical inconsistencies and cherry-picked data, while also acknowledging some valuable insights. The book covers topics such as human behavior during crises, the nature of empathy and power, and alternative approaches to management and democracy. The review concludes that while Bregman's thesis has flaws, his core message about trusting and respecting others more has merit. Shorter summary
May 20, 2021
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Links For May

19 min • 2,553 words • 402 comments • 52 likes • podcast (28 min)
Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of 37 links and interesting facts, covering topics from AI research and educational methods to historical anecdotes and current events. Longer summary
This post is a collection of 37 diverse links and interesting facts. Topics range from politics, technology, and science to history, culture, and economics. The post includes updates on AI research, discussions of educational methods, unusual historical anecdotes, and commentary on current events. Scott Alexander presents these with his characteristic mix of curiosity, humor, and analytical insight, often adding personal thoughts or highlighting particularly intriguing aspects of each item. Shorter summary
Apr 12, 2021
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Links For April

20 min • 2,706 words • 407 comments • 54 likes • podcast (17 min)
Scott Alexander shares 35 diverse links covering scientific studies, historical facts, cultural observations, and technological developments. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents a collection of 35 interesting links on various topics. These include scientific studies, historical anecdotes, cultural observations, and technological developments. Some notable items are: a failed replication of the link between childhood screen time and attention problems, insights into the Canadian tech scene, a map of Reddit, and a technology for animating old photos. The post also covers topics like urban planning, economic policies, and quirky historical facts. Shorter summary
May 20, 2020
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Links 5/20

28 min • 3,906 words • 611 comments
Scott Alexander's links post covers historical oddities, scientific studies, social issues, and tech developments, ranging from pet monkeys to AI progress. Longer summary
This links post covers a wide range of topics, including historical curiosities, scientific studies, social issues, and technology developments. Some notable items include: a discussion of ways things have improved since the 1980s, an analysis of Alcoholics Anonymous effectiveness, insights into national IQ correlations with development, and updates on COVID-19 responses. The post also touches on topics like depression treatment, artificial intelligence progress, and healthcare system comparisons. Shorter summary
Dec 02, 2019
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Links 12/19

23 min • 3,212 words • 918 comments
A diverse collection of links to interesting articles, studies, and news items on topics ranging from history and science to politics and culture. Longer summary
This post is a collection of links to various interesting articles, studies, and news items. It covers a wide range of topics including Russian city flags, archaeological hoaxes, growth mindset research, atomic gardening, AI takeoff scenarios, UFO patents, antibiotic resistance, freelance journalism laws, religious trends in the Middle East, presidential candidate support by occupation, civility in politics, pollution comparisons, open borders debates, gender reveal party accidents, historical theories about Western psychology, entrepreneurship age trends, socialist proposals, WWI myths, biological feedback mechanisms, and various other curiosities and current events. Shorter summary
Aug 05, 2019
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Links 8/19

13 min • 1,705 words • 515 comments
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links on topics ranging from scientific studies to historical anecdotes, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary
This post is a collection of various links and brief summaries on diverse topics. It covers scientific studies, historical anecdotes, political developments, and cultural phenomena. The topics range from new malaria control methods and gender transition studies to the economics of dictatorships and the history of rat-baiting. Scott Alexander provides commentary on some of the links, often with a touch of humor or irony. The post also includes updates on ongoing debates in fields like psychology, nutrition, and climate change. Shorter summary
Nov 20, 2018
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Links 11/18: MayflowURL

15 min • 2,077 words • 309 comments
A diverse collection of links covering history, science, politics, culture, and curiosities, presented with humor and interesting facts. Longer summary
This post is a collection of various links and interesting facts across multiple domains. It covers historical peace treaties, scientific research on diminishing returns in science, geopolitical tensions in Eurovision, education rankings, religious schisms, marijuana regulations, scientific publishing news, experimental archaeology, neuroscience discoveries, geographical facts, international disputes, philosophy humor, rationality-related subreddits, healthcare transparency efforts, academic scandals, mathematical breakthroughs, political trends, cultural oddities, and linguistic curiosities. The post maintains a light, often humorous tone while presenting a wide array of information. Shorter summary
Jan 21, 2018
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Links 1/18: Helink Of Troy

14 min • 1,904 words • 825 comments
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links on topics ranging from geography and drug policy to technology and economics, with brief summaries and comments. Longer summary
This post is a collection of links to various interesting articles, studies, and news stories. It covers a wide range of topics including geography, drug policy, technology, history, economics, science, and politics. Scott Alexander provides brief summaries or comments on each link, often with a touch of humor or irony. The post doesn't have a central theme but rather serves as a curated list of diverse and intriguing information from various fields. Shorter summary
Aug 20, 2015
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On Overconfidence

34 min • 4,625 words • 703 comments
Scott Alexander discusses the problem of overconfidence in probability estimates, arguing that extreme certainty is rarely justified, especially for complex future predictions. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the problem of overconfidence in probability estimates, particularly when people claim to be extremely certain about complex future events. He explains how experiments show that people are often vastly overconfident, even when they claim 99.9999% certainty. Scott argues that extreme confidence is rarely justified, especially for predictions about technological progress or societal changes. He suggests that overconfidence contributes to intolerance and close-mindedness, and that studying history can help reduce overconfidence by showing how often confident predictions have been wrong in the past. Shorter summary