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!

See also Top Posts and All Tags.

Minutes:
Blog:
Year:
4542 tags
Show all filters
15 posts found
The review examines W.E.H. Lecky's book on the rise of rationalism in Europe, praising its scholarship and insights into the gradual shift from medieval to rational thinking. Longer summary
This review discusses W.E.H. Lecky's 'The History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe', a book that explores the decline of medieval beliefs and the emergence of rationalism in Europe. The reviewer provides context with an anecdote about a 19th-century 'demonic possession' case, then details Lecky's life and the book's creation. The review outlines the book's main thesis: that rationalism triumphed not through logic, but through gradual social, political, and industrial influences. The reviewer praises the book's scholarship, fascinating facts, and diverse historical figures, recommending it to readers interested in intellectual history. Shorter summary
Mar 02, 2024
acx

Book Review Contest Rules 2024

5 min • 531 words • 99 comments • 75 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander announces the 2024 Book Review Contest, detailing submission guidelines, prizes, and a new focus on including nontraditional book categories. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the 2024 Book Review Contest, inviting readers to submit reviews of books. The contest has no strict word count requirement, but previous successful entries were between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Entries should be submitted through a Google Form, with the actual review in a separate, unlocked Google Doc. The contest aims to be as blind as possible, so reviewers should not include identifying information in their review. Prizes range from $500 to $2,500, with additional benefits for winners and finalists. This year, about 25% of finalist slots will be reserved for reviews of books from nontraditional categories like fiction, poetry, or pre-1900 works. The submission deadline is May 5th. Shorter summary
Sep 15, 2023
acx

Book Review Contest 2023 Winners

16 min • 1,951 words • 248 comments • 160 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander announces the winners and finalists of the 2023 Book Review Contest, providing details about the reviews, authors, and prizes. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2023 Book Review Contest, listing the top three winners, finalists, and honorable mentions. He provides details about the prizes, brief descriptions of the winning reviews and their authors, and mentions plans for another contest next year. The post also includes information on how participants can check their scores and thanks those who helped organize the contest. Shorter summary
Sep 08, 2023
acx

Vote In The 2023 Book Review Contest

3 min • 338 words • 81 comments • 59 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander opens voting for the 2023 Book Review Contest, detailing the ranked choice voting process and listing the finalists. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the voting process for the 2023 Book Review Contest, explaining that it will use ranked choice voting where voters select their top three favorites. He provides a link to the voting form, lists the 16 finalists, and mentions a prediction market for the contest outcome. Shorter summary
Jun 10, 2023
acx

Your Book Review: Man’s Search for Meaning

59 min • 7,550 words • 247 comments • 325 likes • podcast
This review analyzes Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning', using it as a framework to explore other narratives of suffering and the search for meaning in various contexts. Longer summary
This review explores Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning' and its implications, using the book as a lens to analyze other narratives. The review is divided into three parts: the first summarizes Frankl's experiences in concentration camps and his theory of logotherapy; the second introduces a fictional French poet as a parallel narrative of finding meaning in suffering; and the third applies Frankl's ideas to analyze the current situation in Russia and Ukraine, exploring the concept of meaning and its absence in different contexts. Shorter summary
May 23, 2023
acx

Mantic Monday 5/22/23

34 min • 4,397 words • 164 comments • 88 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander discusses recent events in prediction markets, including a costly prank on Manifold, debt ceiling forecasts, a study on long-term predictions, and a high-profile hyperinflation bet. Longer summary
This post covers several topics in the world of prediction markets and forecasting. It begins with the story of a Manifold user who lost $29,000 in a prank market, leading to changes in Manifold's policies. It then discusses recent predictions about the US debt ceiling, a study on long-term forecasting accuracy, and a high-profile bet about hyperinflation between Balaji Srinivasan and James Medlock. The post ends with updates on other prediction markets, including ones about open-source AI and the ACX book review contest. Shorter summary
Feb 02, 2023
acx

Book Review Contest Rules 2023

4 min • 492 words • 69 comments • 86 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander announces the 2023 Book Review Contest, detailing submission guidelines, prizes, and deadlines for book review entries. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the 2023 Book Review Contest, inviting readers to submit reviews of any book they choose. The contest details include submission guidelines, prize amounts, and judging criteria. Entries should be submitted through a Google Form by April 5th, with the actual review in an unlocked Google Doc. Scott emphasizes the importance of anonymity in the review document to ensure fair judging. Prizes range from $500 to $2,500, with additional benefits for winners and finalists. Shorter summary
Sep 02, 2022
acx

Book Review Contest 2022 Winners

18 min • 2,254 words • 350 comments • 129 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2022 Book Review Contest, lists finalists and honorable mentions, and provides commentary on the entries and contest process. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the winners and finalists of the 2022 Book Review Contest. The post lists the top 5 winners, followed by the remaining finalists and honorable mentions. Scott provides brief commentary on many of the reviews, explaining his selection process and praising various aspects of the entries. He also shares some insights about the anonymity of the contest and its results, noting that some well-known writers performed well. The post concludes with information about prizes for winners and finalists, and a brief mention of plans for next year's contest. Shorter summary
Aug 26, 2022
acx

Your Book Review: Kora In Hell

25 min • 3,248 words • 131 comments • 44 likes • podcast
A detailed review of William Carlos Williams' 'Kora in Hell: Improvisations', analyzing its structure, themes, and literary context within modernist poetry. Longer summary
This review analyzes William Carlos Williams' 'Kora in Hell: Improvisations', exploring its structure, themes, and literary context. The reviewer discusses the book's title, its improvisational nature, and Williams' approach to poetry. They compare Williams' style to contemporaries like T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound, highlighting his focus on American experiences and the present. The review also examines the book's structure, Williams' use of commentary, and his relationship to improvisation and composition in art. The reviewer concludes by discussing the various ways to approach and interpret the text. Shorter summary
Jul 22, 2022
acx

Your Book Review: The Society Of The Spectacle

78 min • 10,124 words • 385 comments • 106 likes • podcast
A review of Guy Debord's 'The Society of the Spectacle', examining its critique of capitalism and mass media, and relating its ideas to modern issues. Longer summary
This review examines Guy Debord's 'The Society of the Spectacle', a Marxist critique of capitalism and mass media. The reviewer summarizes Debord's key ideas about how spectacle dominates modern society, commodifies all aspects of life, and creates a false reality. The review also covers Debord's later comments on the book, relating his ideas to current issues like social media, fake news, and information warfare. While acknowledging the book's insights, the reviewer ultimately takes a more moderate stance on capitalism and technology's impacts. Shorter summary
Feb 04, 2022
acx

Book Review Contest Rules 2022

4 min • 484 words • 94 comments • 47 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander announces the 2022 Book Review Contest, detailing rules, submission guidelines, and prizes for participants. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the 2022 Book Review Contest, inviting readers to submit reviews of books. The post outlines the contest rules, including submission guidelines, word count suggestions, and prize details. Participants are asked to submit their entries through a Google Form, ensuring the reviews are anonymous for fair judging. The contest offers cash prizes for the top three winners, along with free publicity and ACX subscriptions for all finalists. Shorter summary
Jul 10, 2021
acx

Book Review Contest: Winners

6 min • 674 words • 180 comments • 62 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander announces the winners of the Book Review Contest, lists all finalists, and explains the prizes, including increased monetary awards. Longer summary
This post announces the winners of the Book Review Contest. The first place goes to Lars Doucet for his review of 'Progress and Poverty', second place to Whimsi for 'Down And Out In Paris And London', and third place to ELP for 'On The Natural Faculties'. A Readers' Choice Award is given to Misha Saul for 'Disunited Nations vs. Dawn Of Eurasia'. Scott lists all other finalists and their identities. He mentions that all finalists receive a free subscription to Astral Codex Ten, and the top winners get monetary prizes, which have been quintupled due to subscriber generosity. The post ends with instructions for prize collection and a link to a list of all contestants. Shorter summary
Jun 18, 2021
acx

Vote In The Book Review Contest!

2 min • 259 words • 123 comments • 33 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander opens voting for the book review contest, listing 17 finalists and providing a voting link. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces the voting process for the book review contest. Readers are invited to vote for their favorite entries using approval voting, with voting open until the end of June. The post includes a list of the 17 finalist book reviews, each with a link to the full review. Shorter summary
Sep 11, 2020
ssc

Update On My Situation

8 min • 931 words • 76 comments • podcast
Scott Alexander updates readers on his situation post-blog deletion, discussing job transitions, potential move to Substack, and future plans while maintaining anonymity. Longer summary
Scott Alexander provides an update on his situation two and a half months after deleting his blog due to privacy concerns. He discusses ongoing uncertainty with the New York Times, his decision to transition away from his current job, and plans to start a private practice. Scott also reveals negotiations with Substack to move his blog to their platform, citing increased safety and generous financial incentives. He addresses reader concerns about the platform and outlines Substack's commitments to accommodate his preferences. Scott expresses gratitude for supporter's respect of his anonymity and confirms plans for a future book review contest. Shorter summary
May 05, 2020
ssc

Book Review Contest: Call For Entries

6 min • 698 words • 204 comments • podcast
Scott Alexander announces a book review contest for Slate Star Codex, outlining submission guidelines and prizes for the winners. Longer summary
Scott Alexander announces a book review contest for his blog Slate Star Codex. Participants are invited to write a book review similar to Scott's style and submit it by August 5th, 2020. The post outlines submission guidelines, formatting requirements, and prizes for the winners. Scott will select finalists, publish them on the blog, and readers will vote for the best. The contest aims to discover new writing talent and generate interesting content for the blog. Shorter summary