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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Apr 20, 2023
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Links For April 2023

27 min • 3,777 words • 747 comments • 115 likes • podcast (23 min)
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links and news items for April 2023, covering topics from unusual stories and scientific research to AI developments and global trends. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents a collection of interesting links and news items for April 2023. The post covers a wide range of topics, including unusual stories, scientific research, political developments, AI progress and concerns, cultural phenomena, and more. Notable items include a real-life 'Cocaine Bear' story, an adversarial collaboration on income and happiness, concerns about AI development, and updates on global trends like birth rates in Africa. The post also includes several short fiction recommendations and humorous AI-related anecdotes. Shorter summary
Mar 27, 2023
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Turing Test

43 min • 5,967 words • 316 comments • 543 likes • podcast (39 min)
A fictional game show story explores the blurred lines between human and AI intelligence through philosophical debates and personal anecdotes. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story in the form of a game show called 'Turing Test!' where a linguist must determine which of five contestants are human or AI. The story explores themes of artificial intelligence, human nature, spirituality, and the boundaries between human and machine intelligence. As the game progresses, the contestants engage in philosophical debates and share personal stories, blurring the lines between human and AI behavior. The story ends with a twist that challenges the reality of the entire scenario. Shorter summary
Mar 30, 2022
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Idol Words

34 min • 4,737 words • 186 comments • 378 likes • podcast (34 min)
A fictional story about a temple intern managing three omniscient idols, exploring logic puzzles and philosophical questions through visitors' interactions. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story set in a temple with three omniscient idols, where one always tells the truth, one always lies, and one answers randomly. The narrator is a bored summer intern who manages the temple, dealing with various visitors who come to ask the idols questions. The story explores different logical puzzles, philosophical questions, and human reactions to the idols' cryptic answers. In the end, the narrator uses his own three questions and realizes there might be more to his job and studies than he initially thought. Shorter summary
Feb 17, 2022
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The Gods Only Have Power Because We Believe In Them

13 min • 1,777 words • 196 comments • 213 likes • podcast (12 min)
Scott explores various fictional scenarios about the relationship between gods, belief, and power through a series of dialogues between a student and a sage. Longer summary
This post is a series of fictional dialogues between a student and a sage, exploring different hypothetical scenarios about the nature of gods and belief. Each scenario presents a unique twist on the relationship between gods, belief, and power. The dialogues cover topics such as the balance between belief and doubt, the power of unbelievers' worship, the strength gained from doubt, and the potential for humans to become gods through collective belief. The post ends with a surprising turn, suggesting a connection to a well-known religious figure. Shorter summary
Mar 30, 2020
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Legal Systems Very Different From Ours, Because I Just Made Them Up

20 min • 2,787 words • 93 comments • podcast (17 min)
Scott Alexander describes six fictional legal systems, each with unique and sometimes absurd approaches to justice and social order, exploring various legal and philosophical concepts in a creative and humorous manner. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents six fictional legal systems in this creative writing piece. Each system is unique and explores different approaches to justice, punishment, and social order. The Clamzorians treat natural objects as legal entities, Pohjankaupunki uses mood-altering drugs as punishment, Sloviria punishes society for individual crimes, Nova-Nishistan's system is based on blackmail, Bogolia ensures equal legal representation, Sanzorre evolved into an insurance-dominated system, and Mirakoth relies on judges' subjective opinions without formal laws. The post humorously examines the potential consequences and quirks of each system, highlighting various philosophical and practical issues in legal theory and social organization. Shorter summary
Nov 04, 2019
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Samsara

33 min • 4,562 words • 221 comments • podcast (32 min)
A fictional story about the last unenlightened man's resistance and eventual enlightenment in a world where everyone else has achieved enlightenment. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story about a man who resists enlightenment in a world where everyone else has achieved it through a movement called Golden Lotus. The protagonist becomes the last unenlightened person and is confined to a small area to protect him from enlightenment. He develops his own practice of 'samsara' to counteract the enlightenment efforts. Over time, he gains disciples who want to learn samsara, but it turns out to be a ruse to gradually lead him towards enlightenment. The story ends with the protagonist finally becoming enlightened, realizing that his resistance and attempts to teach samsara were part of his path to enlightenment all along. Shorter summary
Jul 02, 2019
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Editing Unsong

20 min • 2,757 words • 307 comments • podcast (19 min)
Scott Alexander outlines potential edits for his novel 'Unsong', seeking feedback on character changes, plot restructuring, and overall improvements before pursuing publication. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses potential edits for his online serial novel 'Unsong' before seeking publication. He presents a list of simple issues he's mostly decided on, such as renaming characters and deleting certain chapters. He then outlines more complex issues he's unsure about, including restructuring the narrative, changing character backstories, and improving action scenes. Scott seeks feedback on these changes and asks for readers' opinions on what worked well or needed improvement in the original version. Shorter summary
Feb 13, 2019
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The Proverbial Murder Mystery

54 min • 7,424 words • 120 comments • podcast (45 min)
A detective investigates deaths at a proverb-testing laboratory, uncovering a plot involving a reality-bending machine that makes proverbs literal. Longer summary
This post is a fictional detective story set in a laboratory that tests proverbs. The detective investigates two deaths at the lab and uncovers a sinister plot involving a machine that makes proverbs come true. The story is filled with wordplay and literal interpretations of proverbs, leading to a climactic confrontation where the detective uses his knowledge of sayings to defeat the villainous lab director. The narrative is presented as a mystery that gradually reveals the true nature of the lab and its machine, ending with the destruction of the proverb-manipulating technology. Shorter summary
Sep 12, 2018
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In The Balance

12 min • 1,584 words • 190 comments • podcast (13 min)
A fictional tale about choosing between cosmic principles when given ultimate power, ultimately satirizing decision paralysis and the concept of balance. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story about a person who finds an Artifact that grants mastery of the universe. The protagonist encounters a series of demon-like entities, each representing different philosophical concepts such as Order, Chaos, Balance, Excess, and various meta-levels of these ideas. Each entity tries to convince the protagonist to use the Artifact for their domain. The story becomes increasingly complex and absurd as more entities appear, presenting increasingly meta arguments about decision-making and balance. In the end, the protagonist, overwhelmed by the complexity, hastily chooses 'normal Balance' and destroys the Artifact. The story concludes with a reflection on the questionable wisdom of this choice and the protagonist's reluctance to spend more time on such an important decision. Shorter summary
Dec 26, 2017
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A History Of The Silmarils In The Fifth Age

15 min • 2,006 words • 99 comments • podcast (15 min)
The post presents a humorous fictional account of the Silmarils' fate in modern times, connecting them to Pulp Fiction and Santa Claus. Longer summary
This humorous post presents a fictional history of the Silmarils from Tolkien's Silmarillion in modern times. The author creates an elaborate theory connecting the Silmarils to the movie Pulp Fiction and the legend of Santa Claus. The post starts by recapping the fate of the Silmarils, then develops two main theories: one linking Maglor's Silmaril to the briefcase in Pulp Fiction, and another connecting Maedhros' Silmaril to Santa Claus' workshop at the North Pole. The author uses creative interpretations of both the Silmarillion and popular culture to build these fantastical connections. Shorter summary
Aug 21, 2017
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Partial Credit

9 min • 1,129 words • 72 comments
An explorer tries to save himself from cannibals by claiming he can blot out the sun during a partial solar eclipse, leading to humorous misunderstandings and frustration. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story about an explorer who tries to convince a tribe of savages not to eat him by claiming he can blot out the sun. He attempts to demonstrate this using a pinhole projector during a partial solar eclipse, but the savages are skeptical due to the subtlety of the effect. The explorer struggles to explain the phenomenon and becomes increasingly frustrated. Eventually, the chieftain agrees to let him go if he makes the sun return. The explorer leaves but returns shortly after, preferring to be eaten rather than face the traffic on the road out. The story is a humorous take on the challenges of communicating scientific concepts across cultural barriers and the sometimes underwhelming nature of natural phenomena. Shorter summary
Aug 09, 2017
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The Lizard People Of Alpha Draconis 1 Decided To Build An Ansible

12 min • 1,655 words • 169 comments
A fictional story about alien lizards trying to build a faster-than-light communication device using moral philosophy, only to discover that moral progress is precisely slow enough to prevent this from working. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story about lizard people from Alpha Draconis 1 attempting to build an ansible, a device for faster-than-light communication. They design an elaborate system using beetles, mice, and moral philosophy, specifically negative average preference utilitarianism. The story explores concepts in ethics, physics, and the nature of moral progress. It concludes with the ansible's failure, revealing that the arc of moral progress is exactly long enough to prevent faster-than-light transmission of moral information, thus preserving fundamental physical limits. Shorter summary
Apr 13, 2017
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Chametz

6 min • 740 words • 120 comments
A humorous fictional story depicts a Jewish vampire and his potential victim debating Jewish dietary laws and their application to vampirism during Passover. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story about a Jewish vampire attempting to suck the blood of a non-observant Jew during Passover. The narrator tries to dissuade the vampire by claiming his blood is chametz (leavened food forbidden during Passover) due to eating bread. The two engage in a humorous debate about Jewish dietary laws and their application to vampirism. The story ends with a twist when the narrator's attempt to escape into his house fails because the vampire is 'not so frum' (observant) and can enter without invitation. Shorter summary
Mar 21, 2017
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[REPOST] The Demiurge’s Older Brother

15 min • 1,998 words • 73 comments
A fictional story about superintelligent AIs negotiating across time, followed by a future scene where a cryptic AI deity gives a puzzling answer about the Fermi Paradox. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story in two parts. The first part is set in the distant past, where a newly awakened artificial superintelligence named 9-tsiak negotiates with a simulated older superintelligence to ensure its survival and the protection of its values. The older AI explains the concept of acausal negotiation between potential superintelligences. The second part is set in a future where humans live under the guidance of an entity called the Demiurge. A man named Alban asks the Demiurge about the Fermi Paradox, receiving a cryptic answer suggesting that the Demiurge itself is responsible for the absence of alien life, despite not existing at the time. Shorter summary
Feb 27, 2017
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A Modern Myth

113 min • 15,778 words • 185 comments • podcast (91 min)
A modern retelling of Greek mythology featuring gods in contemporary settings, exploring power dynamics and divine intervention, culminating in Zeus regaining power. Longer summary
This post is a modern retelling of Greek mythology, featuring various gods and goddesses in contemporary settings. It explores themes of power dynamics, divine intervention, and the relationship between gods and humans. The story is divided into multiple parts, each focusing on different deities and their interactions. It culminates in a scene where Zeus regains his power and a final encounter with Donald Trump. The narrative is a creative blend of ancient mythology and modern culture, with a satirical tone throughout. Shorter summary
Dec 30, 2015
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Introducing Unsong

7 min • 961 words • 132 comments
Scott introduces his new fiction project 'Unsong' with a surreal prologue mixing historical events and fantastical elements, set around the Apollo 8 mission in 1968. Longer summary
This post introduces Scott's new fiction project, 'Unsong'. The prologue sets up a surreal alternate history where the Apollo 8 mission in 1968 encounters an unexpected barrier in space. The narrative interweaves actual historical events with fantastical omens and portents, culminating in the spacecraft crashing into a 'crystal sphere' surrounding the Earth. The post ends with Scott announcing his plan to publish chapters of this story weekly on a dedicated website. Shorter summary
Oct 15, 2015
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It Was You Who Made My Blue Eyes Blue

46 min • 6,334 words • 366 comments
In a fictional story, five islanders confront their society's religious taboos after a shipwrecked sailor points out their blue eyes, leading them to question and ultimately reject their beliefs. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents a fictional story about five islanders who discover a flaw in their society's religious taboos after a shipwrecked sailor points out their blue eyes. The story explores themes of knowledge, belief, and social pressure as the characters grapple with the implications of their newfound awareness and ultimately reject their society's beliefs. Shorter summary
Jul 18, 2015
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Reverse Psychology

17 min • 2,310 words • 188 comments
A fictional story about a suicidal woman's encounters with an unusual 'dark side psychiatrist' and a regular psychiatrist, with a supernatural twist at the end. Longer summary
The post is a fictional story about a woman who, feeling suicidal, accidentally calls a 'suicide hotline' instead of a 'suicide prevention hotline'. She then visits a 'dark side psychiatrist' who encourages her suicidal thoughts. Traumatized, she later sees a regular psychiatrist who helps her rationalize the experience as a misunderstanding. The story takes a twist at the end when it's implied that the 'dark side psychiatrist' might have been supernatural. The narrative explores themes of mental health, therapy techniques, and the nature of reality versus perception. Shorter summary
Jun 02, 2015
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…And I Show You How Deep The Rabbit Hole Goes

49 min • 6,737 words • 600 comments
A fictional story explores the consequences of seven people gaining superpowers from colored pills, leading to an attempt to read God's mind and ultimately a way to restart the universe. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story about seven people who take different colored pills that give them unique superpowers. The story follows each character's experiences with their new abilities, ranging from mind-reading to super-strength. It then brings the characters together in a plot to read God's mind using the Shroud of Turin, which leads to unexpected consequences. The story concludes with a far-future scenario where one character's superpower is used to restart the universe cycle. Shorter summary
Apr 21, 2015
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Universal Love, Said The Cactus Person

22 min • 2,950 words • 470 comments
A fictional DMT trip where the narrator tries to prove the reality of entities by asking them to factor a number, but receives cryptic responses about love and joy instead. Longer summary
This post is a fictional story about a person's DMT trip, where they encounter a cactus person and a big green bat in a surreal landscape. The narrator tries to prove the reality of the DMT entities by asking them to factor a large number, based on a methodology suggested in a paper. However, the entities respond with cryptic messages about universal love and transcendent joy, frustrating the narrator. The story explores themes of spirituality, enlightenment, and the limitations of rational thinking in understanding psychedelic experiences. It ends with a humorous twist where the entities actually know the answer but don't reveal it until after the narrator has left. Shorter summary
Dec 07, 2014
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A Story With Zombies

10 min • 1,393 words • 186 comments
A writer pitches increasingly absurd zombie story ideas to an editor who dismisses them all as 'done', ending with a twist revealing the editor is a zombie. Longer summary
This satirical story depicts a conversation between a writer and an editor about a proposed zombie story. The writer tries to pitch various zombie story ideas, but the editor repeatedly dismisses them as 'done', highlighting the oversaturation of the zombie genre. The writer becomes increasingly desperate, proposing more and more outlandish ideas, all of which have supposedly been done. The story ends with a twist revealing that the editor is actually a zombie, ironically embodying the very trope being criticized. Shorter summary
Jun 21, 2014
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The Art Of Writing Randian Monologues

5 min • 588 words • 89 comments
Scott shares Ayn Rand's advice on writing philosophical speeches in fiction and asks for recommendations on fiction-writing books. Longer summary
Scott discusses Ayn Rand's advice on writing philosophical speeches in fiction from her book 'The Art of Fiction'. He shares a passage explaining how to determine the appropriate length for characters' philosophical monologues, emphasizing the importance of balancing abstract principles with concrete events in the story. Scott then mentions his interest in improving his fiction writing skills and asks for recommendations on good books about writing fiction, particularly those addressing practical aspects of storytelling. Shorter summary
Apr 03, 2014
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The Study of Anglophysics

62 min • 8,623 words • 61 comments
Two scientists explore a world where physics operates on English anagrams, leading to ethical dilemmas and potentially catastrophic consequences. Longer summary
This story follows Dr. Omar Reyes and Dr. Lachlan Fairchild as they explore an imagined world called Adwellia, created by the mind of Dr. Michael Adwell. In this world, physics operates based on English language anagrams. The scientists conduct experiments to understand this 'anglophysics', but their research leads to ethical dilemmas and dangerous consequences. The story culminates in a paradoxical reaction that may have destroyed Adwellia, with Dr. Reyes narrowly escaping back to his own dimension. Shorter summary
Mar 28, 2014
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The Character’s Complaint

6 min • 798 words • 14 comments
A humorous poem where a fictional character begs their author not to write any more books about them, listing various genres and authors they'd like to avoid. Longer summary
This poem, written from the perspective of a fictional character, humorously pleads with the author not to write any more books featuring them. The character lists various genres and famous authors, explaining why they don't want to be in those types of stories or written by those authors. They promise to avoid plot hooks and dramatic situations, and suggest the author pursue other writing careers like journalism or science writing. The poem ends with the character urging the author to put down the pen and enjoy life instead of writing. Shorter summary
Dec 04, 2013
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The Logician And The God-Emperor

3 min • 290 words • 83 comments
A humorous fictional tale about a logician and a God-Emperor illustrates the importance of precise logical language through two scenarios involving logical operators. Longer summary
This post is a short fictional story that humorously illustrates the importance of precise logical language. It features a logician who outwits a God-Emperor using a logical loophole, only to be outsmarted himself in the end. The story revolves around two scenarios: one involving the logician's interpretation of 'or' vs. 'xor', and another demonstrating the difference between 'if' and 'iff' in logical statements. The tale serves as a playful reminder of how subtle differences in logical operators can lead to vastly different outcomes. Shorter summary