How to avoid getting lost reading Scott Alexander and his 1500+ blog posts? This unaffiliated fan website lets you sort and search through the whole codex. Enjoy!

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Aug 28, 2024
acx

In Defense Of "I'm Sorry You Feel That Way"

6 min • 712 words • Comments pending
Scott Alexander argues that 'I'm sorry you feel that way' is a valid and useful phrase in certain situations, despite widespread criticism. Longer summary
Scott Alexander defends the phrase 'I'm sorry you feel that way', often criticized as a fake apology. He argues that in situations where someone is upset by an appropriate action, this phrase is a good middle ground between changing one's mind and being dismissive. Scott suggests that the hostility towards this phrase stems from 'therapy culture', which overfits social norms to benefit oneself in any given situation. He concludes that 'I'm sorry you feel that way' can be a polite and compassionate response when someone is upset by an action you continue to endorse. Shorter summary
Mar 21, 2024
acx

In Continued Defense Of Non-Frequentist Probabilities

27 min • 3,434 words • 505 comments • 241 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander defends using probabilities for hard-to-model events, arguing they aid clear communication and decision-making even in uncertain domains. Longer summary
Scott Alexander defends the use of non-frequentist probabilities for hard-to-model, non-repeating events. He argues that probabilities are linguistically convenient, don't necessarily describe one's level of information, and can be valuable when provided by expert forecasters. Scott counters claims that probabilities are used as a substitute for reasoning and addresses objections about applying probabilities to complex topics like AI. He emphasizes that probabilities are useful tools for clear communication and decision-making, even in uncertain domains. Shorter summary
Jul 04, 2019
ssc

Style Guide: Not Sounding Like An Evil Robot

11 min • 1,311 words • 560 comments • podcast
Scott Alexander offers a style guide to help writers avoid sounding overly robotic or scientific when discussing everyday topics, providing specific word replacements and usage guidelines. Longer summary
Scott Alexander provides a style guide for writing about science and rationality without sounding like an 'evil robot'. He advises using everyday terms instead of scientific jargon when discussing everyday life, to avoid alienating readers. The post lists 11 specific recommendations, such as replacing 'IQ' with 'intelligence', 'humans' with 'people', and 'males/females' with 'men/women'. He also suggests avoiding terms like 'rational', 'optimal', and 'utility' in favor of more common alternatives. The guide aims to make writing more accessible and relatable, especially when discussing topics that might already seem nerdy or out-of-touch. Shorter summary
Jul 18, 2018
ssc

The Whole City Is Center

43 min • 5,580 words • 414 comments • podcast
Scott Alexander examines the concept of 'laziness' and value differences, exploring how semantic debates can obscure practical communication and understanding. Longer summary
Scott Alexander explores the concept of 'laziness' and debates about value differences. Through a dialogue between Sophisticus and Simplicio, he examines whether laziness exists, how to communicate about people with low motivation, and whether judgments about laziness are moral or practical. The post then extends to discuss punishment, evolutionary psychology, and the nature of value differences. It concludes with a metaphorical conversation about city centers, illustrating how semantic debates can obscure practical communication. Shorter summary
Jun 26, 2017
ssc

Conversation Deliberately Skirts The Border Of Incomprehensibility

9 min • 1,076 words • 374 comments • podcast
The post explores how neurotypical social interactions often involve indirect communication, which can be confusing for autistic individuals, and suggests that conversations may be deliberately designed to be unpredictable. Longer summary
The post discusses the complexity of social interactions, particularly focusing on how neurotypical people often ask indirect questions to initiate conversations or join activities. It explains how this can lead to miscommunication with autistic individuals who may interpret these questions literally. The author explores the concept of 'plausible deniability' in social interactions, where people deliberately skirt the border of incomprehensibility to allow for graceful rejections. The post concludes by suggesting that ordinary conversations might be deliberately designed to be difficult to predict, making them particularly challenging for those who struggle with social cues. Shorter summary
Aug 03, 2014
ssc

Unspoken Ground Assumptions Of Discussion

7 min • 903 words • 61 comments • podcast
Scott Alexander explores five unspoken assumptions in discussions that can lead to misunderstandings and logical fallacies when not clarified. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses five unspoken ground assumptions in discussions that can lead to misunderstandings and logical fallacies. These include: (1) whether one is presenting a balanced view or arguing for one side, (2) if the argument is literal or pointing towards a hard-to-explain concept, (3) whether describing real-world phenomena or underlying mechanisms, (4) if addressing a specific problem or contributing to a broader intellectual discussion, and (5) whether presenting a definite theory or a hypothesis for consideration. He argues that ambiguity in these grounds can lead to confusion and false accusations of logical fallacies. Shorter summary
Jun 08, 2014
ssc

Map-Territory Distinctions

3 min • 385 words • 36 comments • podcast
Scott humorously describes his frustrating attempts to dispose of an oversized trash can, exploring various communication strategies with garbage collectors. Longer summary
Scott humorously recounts his ongoing struggle to get rid of an oversized trash can. Despite putting it out for bulk pickup, garbage collectors either empty its contents or ignore it entirely due to its non-regulation size. His attempts to communicate his intent through signs, including a philosophical reference to the map-territory distinction, have so far failed. The post ends with Scott contemplating more creative ways to convey his message to the garbage collectors. Shorter summary
Mar 17, 2013
ssc

My objections to “objectification”

10 min • 1,172 words • 49 comments • podcast
Scott argues against the concept of 'objectification', claiming it unnecessarily stigmatizes harmless attractions and prevents potentially beneficial relationships. Longer summary
Scott criticizes the concept of 'objectification' or 'fetishization', particularly in response to writings by Ozy. He argues that the concept is flawed and potentially harmful, preventing mutually beneficial relationships from forming. Scott contends that being attracted to specific characteristics is not inherently wrong, and that the real issue is when people ignore consent, not objectification itself. He uses various examples to illustrate his point, including hypothetical scenarios and personal anecdotes. The post challenges the idea that having preferences or 'fetishes' is inherently problematic, suggesting that open communication about desires is more beneficial than stigmatizing them. Shorter summary