The post explores the Far Out Initiative's goal to eliminate suffering through biotechnology, inspired by a pain-free woman and David Pearce's philosophy. Longer summary

This post discusses the Far Out Initiative, a project aimed at eliminating suffering through biotechnology. It begins by introducing Jo Cameron, a woman genetically incapable of feeling pain or anxiety, and explores the philosophical implications of her condition. The post then delves into David Pearce's suffering abolitionism philosophy and his practical approaches to ending suffering. Finally, it describes the Far Out Initiative's current efforts, led by Marcin Kowrygo, to create suffering-free animals through genetic engineering and potentially extend this to humans in the future. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores how evolutionary processes explain the polygenic structure of schizophrenia and other complex traits, addressing concerns about genetic research and implications for future genetic interventions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the polygenic nature of schizophrenia and other complex traits, explaining how evolution shapes genetic structures. He presents arguments by E. Fuller Torrey about the lack of large-effect genes for schizophrenia and its persistence despite negative fitness effects. Scott then explores how these seemingly contradictory points actually explain each other: evolution removes large-effect genes, leaving only small-effect genes that accumulate to cause disorders. He discusses three possible reasons for the persistence of these small-effect genes and their implications for genetic selection and engineering. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reviews Lantern Bioworks' Lumina, a genetically modified bacterium designed to prevent tooth decay, discussing its science, safety, and commercialization plans. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses Lantern Bioworks' new product, Lumina, a genetically modified bacterium designed to prevent tooth decay. The post covers the science behind the product, its origins, usage, potential risks, and the company's plans for commercialization. Scott explains the genetic modifications made to the bacterium, addresses safety concerns, and discusses the regulatory path Lantern is pursuing. The article also touches on the product's pricing strategy and availability. Shorter summary

A review of 'God Emperor of Dune' by Frank Herbert, analyzing its themes of power, AI risk, and human evolution, while drawing parallels to modern concerns about artificial intelligence. Longer summary

This review analyzes 'God Emperor of Dune', the fourth book in Frank Herbert's Dune series, focusing on its themes of power, AI risk, and human evolution. The reviewer discusses the main characters, particularly Leto II, the god-emperor who rules for 3,500 years as a human-sandworm hybrid. The book is presented as a meditation on leadership, loneliness, and the nature of power, with parallels drawn to modern AI risk concerns. The review also critiques the novel's lack of plot and its treatment of female characters, while highlighting its prescient themes regarding AI and human development. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander discusses the birth of the first polygenically-screened baby and explores the current and potential future applications of this technology in IVF. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the birth of the first polygenically-screened baby, explaining the process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and how polygenic screening works. He describes how this technology can be used to reduce the risk of genetic diseases and potentially select for other traits. The post covers the current capabilities of polygenic screening, its potential future applications, and some ethical considerations. Scott also mentions the first polygenically screened baby, named Aurea, born to a family with a history of breast cancer. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues that Jewish overachievement is real and deserves continued study, countering Noah Smith's attempt to downplay its significance. Longer summary

Scott Alexander responds to Noah Smith's article questioning whether Jews are really disproportionately successful. Scott argues that Jewish success is real and not fully explained by selective immigration or other factors Noah proposed. He examines historical evidence on Jewish immigration, compares Jewish achievement to urbanization rates, and discusses data on Jewish success in various fields. Scott concludes that Jewish overachievement remains an interesting and important phenomenon to study, potentially offering insights into genetics or cultural factors that could be broadly beneficial if understood. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander refutes PZ Myers' race car analogy against genetic engineering for intelligence, showing that high IQ positively correlates with many beneficial traits. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques PZ Myers' argument against genetic engineering for intelligence, which uses a race car analogy to suggest optimizing for intelligence might trade off against other important traits. Scott shows that, contrary to this intuition, high IQ correlates positively with many desirable traits like longevity, height, and health. He explores possible explanations for this, including heterozygosity advantages, mutational load, and trade-offs with traits important in evolutionary history but less so now. Scott concludes that while caution is warranted, the race car argument is likely less of an impediment to genetic engineering than it might seem. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques the autism rights movement's opposition to curing autism, arguing that severe cases cause immense suffering that justifies continued research into cures. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the autism rights movement and their opposition to curing autism. While supporting most of their work, he disagrees with the stance against cures. He argues that severe autism causes immense suffering that cannot be alleviated solely through better treatment, and that research into cures should continue. He acknowledges the benefits autism can bring, but believes the costs outweigh them for many individuals. The post examines outcomes for autistic adults, issues with institutionalization, and ethical considerations around curing or preventing autism. Shorter summary

A satirical future op-ed argues that not giving children 'super-enhancement gene therapy' is child abuse, mirroring current pro-vaccination arguments. Longer summary

This satirical post, written as if from the future year 2065, critiques current anti-vaccination arguments by applying them to a hypothetical future technology: super-enhancement designer baby gene therapy. The author, posing as a bioethicist, argues that not giving children this therapy is child abuse and a public health issue. The post mimics common pro-vaccination arguments, citing increased crime rates, car accidents, and disease outbreaks as consequences of not enhancing children. It concludes by calling for severe restrictions on unenhanced children and punishment for parents who refuse the therapy. The satire aims to highlight the absurdity of current anti-vaccination arguments by applying similar logic to a more extreme scenario. Shorter summary

Scott responds to authors of a Victorian intelligence paper, remaining skeptical of their findings and addressing critiques of his original post on IQ change speeds. Longer summary

Scott Alexander responds to the authors of a paper on Victorian intelligence who replied to his earlier critique. He remains skeptical of their findings, arguing that the Victorian sample was still more elite than modern comparisons, even when broken down by occupation. Scott also addresses a point from his original critique about the speed of IQ changes, acknowledging some validity to commenters' objections but explaining his reasoning. He concludes by suggesting that concerns about dysgenic effects on IQ may be overblown given the likely timeframe for genetic engineering or transfer to nonbiological life. Shorter summary