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# Some Unintuitive Properties Of Polygenic Disorders
E. Fuller Torrey recently [published a journal article](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178123006418) trying to cast doubt on the commonly-accepted claim that schizophrenia is mostly genetic. Most of his points were the usual “if we can’t ... | Scott Alexander | 140920583 | Some Unintuitive Properties Of Polygenic Disorders | acx |
# Should The Future Be Human?
### **I.**
Business Insider: [Larry Page Once Called Elon Musk A “Specieist”](https://www.businessinsider.com/larry-page-elon-musk-specieist-ai-dangers-2023-12):
> Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Google cofounder Larry Page disagree so severely about the dangers of AI it apparently ended their ... | Scott Alexander | 140915400 | Should The Future Be Human? | acx |
# Open Thread 312
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 140914475 | Open Thread 312 | acx |
# Subscrive Drive 2024 + Free Unlocked Posts
Astral Codex Ten has a [paid subscription option](https://www.astralcodexten.com/subscribe?). You pay $10 (or $2.50 if you can’t afford the regular price) per month, and get:
* Extra articles (usually 1-2 per month)
* A Hidden Open Thread per week
* Access to the occasiona... | Scott Alexander | 140612121 | Subscrive Drive 2024 + Free Unlocked Posts | acx |
# Links For January 2024
*[Remember, I haven’t independently verified each link. On average, commenters will end up spotting evidence that around two or three of the links in each links post are wrong or misleading. I correct these as I see them, and will highlight important corrections later, but I can’t guarantee I ... | Scott Alexander | 140413501 | Links For January 2024 | acx |
# Against Learning From Dramatic Events
**I.**
Does it matter if COVID was a lab leak?
Here’s an argument against: obviously there are lots of lab leaks and you should take lab safety really seriously. Given the amount of dangerous microbiology research, it seems pretty plausible that something *like* a COVID lab le... | Scott Alexander | 140135906 | Against Learning From Dramatic Events | acx |
# AI Sleeper Agents
A sleeper agent is an AI that acts innocuous until it gets some trigger, then goes rogue.
People might make these on purpose. For example, the CIA might “encourage” big AI labs to make sleeper agents. Imagine a programming AI like Codex that writes good code unless it’s accessed from an IP associa... | Scott Alexander | 140669542 | AI Sleeper Agents | acx |
# Open Thread 311
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 140692069 | Open Thread 311 | acx |
# Highlights From The Comments On Capitalism & Charity
*[original post: [Does Capitalism Beat Charity?](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/does-capitalism-beat-charity)]*
**1:** Comments Where I Want To Reiterate That I’m In Near Mode
**2:** Comments Directly Arguing Against My Main Point, Thank You
**3:** Comments... | Scott Alexander | 140570701 | Highlights From The Comments On Capitalism & Charity | acx |
# Book Review: Cyropaedia
In 370 BC, Xenophon noticed that everyone sucked except Cyrus the Great:
> The thought once occurred to us how many republics have been overthrown by people who preferred to live under any form of government other than a republican, and again, how many monarchies and how many oligarchies in ... | Scott Alexander | 140087559 | Book Review: Cyropaedia | acx |
# The Road To Honest AI
AIs sometimes lie.
They might lie because their creator told them to lie. For example, a scammer might train an AI to help dupe victims.
Or they might lie (“hallucinate”) because they’re trained to sound helpful, and if the true answer (eg “I don’t know”) isn’t helpful-sounding enough, they’l... | Scott Alexander | 140247041 | The Road To Honest AI | acx |
# Open Thread 310
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 140481398 | Open Thread 310 | acx |
# Does Capitalism Beat Charity?
This question comes up whenever I discuss philanthropy.
It would seem that capitalism is better than charity. The countries that became permanently rich, like America and Japan, did it with capitalism. This seems better than temporarily alleviating poverty by donating food or clothing.... | Scott Alexander | 139678287 | Does Capitalism Beat Charity? | acx |
# Singing The Blues
*[epistemic status: speculative]*
**I.**
[Millgram et al (2015)](https://sci-hub.tw/10.1177/0956797615583295) find that depressed people prefer to listen to sad rather than happy music. This matches personal experience; when I'm feeling down, I also prefer sad music. But why? Try setting aside al... | Scott Alexander | 140279341 | Singing The Blues | acx |
# Open Thread 309
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 140239057 | Open Thread 309 | acx |
# Open Thread 308
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 140057750 | Open Thread 308 | acx |
# In The Long Run, We're All Dad
**I.**
In February 2023 I found myself in the waiting room of a San Francisco fertility clinic, holding a cup of my own semen.
The Bible tells the story of Onan, son of Judah. Onan’s brother died. Tradition dictated that Onan should impregnate his brother’s wife, ensuring that his br... | Scott Alexander | 138980068 | In The Long Run, We're All Dad | acx |
# Open Thread 307
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 139876568 | Open Thread 307 | acx |
# Son Of Bride Of Bay Area House Party
*[previously in series: [1](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/every-bay-area-house-party), [2](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/another-bay-area-house-party), [3](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/even-more-bay-area-house-party), [4](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/... | Scott Alexander | 139607723 | Son Of Bride Of Bay Area House Party | acx |
# Open Thread 306
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 139685345 | Open Thread 306 | acx |
# Apply For An ACX Grant (2024)
I’m running another ACX Grants round. If you already know what this is and want to apply, use **[the form here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6vmem8-XfhVkMde3PCyysAS_bwBImk3H9iJo0S1OsqfUHWg/viewform)** to apply, deadline December 29. Otherwise see below for more information... | Scott Alexander | 138846316 | Apply For An ACX Grant (2024) | acx |
# Defying Cavity: Lantern Bioworks FAQ
[Lantern Bioworks](https://www.lanternbioworks.com/) says they have [a cure for tooth decay](https://www.luminaprobiotic.com/). Their product is a genetically modified bacterium which infects your mouth, outcompetes all the tooth-decay-causing bacteria, and doesn’t cause tooth de... | Scott Alexander | 139373544 | Defying Cavity: Lantern Bioworks FAQ | acx |
# What Ever Happened To Neoreaction?
Ten years ago, I saw some people blogging about an exciting new political philosophy called neoreaction. I looked into it, decided it was bad, and [wrote a 30,000 word rebuttal](https://slatestarcodex.com/2013/10/20/the-anti-reactionary-faq/).
This was one of the more fateful deci... | Scott Alexander | 138937130 | What Ever Happened To Neoreaction? | acx |
# Beyond "Abolish The FDA"
“Abolish the FDA” has become a popular slogan in libertarian circles. I’m sympathetic to the spirit of the demand. But a slogan isn’t a plan, and this one is even less of a plan than usual.
I used to think that since libertarians always lose, there was no point in having a real plan for wha... | Scott Alexander | 139224674 | Beyond "Abolish The FDA" | acx |
# Mantic Monday 12/4/23
# Multiple Alt-ernatives
Source: Older version of [this market](https://manifold.markets/sophiawisdom/why-was-sam-altman-fired).
People joked about this graph showing how crazy the OpenAI situation was. The situation might have been crazy, but that’s not the lesson of this graph. The lesson i... | Scott Alexander | 139450749 | Mantic Monday 12/4/23 | acx |
# Open Thread 305
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 139420453 | Open Thread 305 | acx |
# Links For November 2023
*[Remember, I haven’t independently verified each link. On average, commenters will end up spotting evidence that around two or three of the links in each links post are wrong or misleading. I correct these as I see them, and will highlight important corrections later, but I can’t guarantee I... | Scott Alexander | 139159477 | Links For November 2023 | acx |
# Contra DeBoer On Movement Shell Games
**Followup to: [In Continued Defense Of Effective Altruism](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/in-continued-defense-of-effective)**
Freddie deBoer says effective altruism [is “a shell game”](https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/the-effective-altruism-shell-game):
> Who could arg... | Scott Alexander | 139256021 | Contra DeBoer On Movement Shell Games | acx |
# In Continued Defense Of Effective Altruism
**I.**
Search “effective altruism” on social media right now, and it’s pretty grim.
Socialists think we’re sociopathic Randroid money-obsessed Silicon Valley hypercapitalists.
But Silicon Valley thinks we’re all overregulation-loving authoritarian communist bureaucrats.
... | Scott Alexander | 86909076 | In Continued Defense Of Effective Altruism | acx |
# God Help Us, Let's Try To Understand AI Monosemanticity
You’ve probably heard AI is a “black box”. No one knows how it works. Researchers simulate a weird type of pseudo-neural-tissue, “reward” it a little every time it becomes a little more like the AI they want, and eventually it becomes the AI they want. But God ... | Scott Alexander | 138968567 | God Help Us, Let's Try To Understand AI Monosemanticity | acx |
# Open Thread 304
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 139188933 | Open Thread 304 | acx |
# Seen In The Bay
Plaque spotted on an SF building. I was actually able to figure this one out; it marks the headquarters of [the Bohemian Club](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Grove), a secretive group of local elites whose motto is “Weaving Spiders, Come Not Here” (it’s supposed to mean that business issues s... | Scott Alexander | 138908632 | Seen In The Bay | acx |
# Open Thread 303
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 139009203 | Open Thread 303 | acx |
# Book Review: I See Satan Fall Like Lightning
The phrase “I see Satan fall like lightning” comes from Luke 10:18. I’d previously encountered it on insane right-wing conspiracy theory websites. You can rephrase it as “I see Satan descend to earth in the form of lightning.” But “lightning” in Hebrew is *barak*. So the ... | Scott Alexander | 138825275 | Book Review: I See Satan Fall Like Lightning | acx |
# Does Anaesthesia Prove Ketamine Placebo?
The psychiatric study everyone’s talking about this month is **[”Randomized trial of ketamine masked by surgical anesthesia in patients with depression”](https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-023-00140-x)**.
Ketamine is a dissociative drug - it produces weird drug effects l... | Scott Alexander | 138774555 | Does Anaesthesia Prove Ketamine Placebo? | acx |
# Open Thread 302
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 138824707 | Open Thread 302 | acx |
# Followup: Quests And Requests
Thanks to everyone who commented on [Quests And Requests](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/quests-and-requests).
There was a predictable failure mode: lots of people said “I have relevant expertise and would be willing to help with #X”, and then those comments just sat there. Many fewe... | Scott Alexander | 138719190 | Followup: Quests And Requests | acx |
# Hardball Questions For The Next Debate
*[previously in series: [2016](https://slatestarcodex.com/2015/11/16/hardball-questions-for-the-next-debate/), [2020](https://slatestarcodex.com/2020/01/05/hardball-questions-for-the-next-debate-2020/); expansion of [this](https://twitter.com/slatestarcodex/status/1708762706088... | Scott Alexander | 138648131 | Hardball Questions For The Next Debate | acx |
# Highlights From The Comments On Kidney Donation
*[original post: [My Left Kidney](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/my-left-kidney)]*
**1:** Comments From People Who Are Against This Sort Of Thing
**2:** …From Other People Who Have Donated Kidneys
**3:** …From People Who Have Received Kidneys
**4:** …About Opt... | Scott Alexander | 138473259 | Highlights From The Comments On Kidney Donation | acx |
# Open Thread 301
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 138628601 | Open Thread 301 | acx |
# Quests And Requests
I’ll be starting a new round of ACX Grants sometime soon. I can’t guarantee I’ll fund all these projects - some of them are more like vanity projects than truly effective. But I might fund some of them, and others might be doable without funding. So if you’re feeling left out and want a cause to ... | Scott Alexander | 138508657 | Quests And Requests | acx |
# Dictator Book Club: Chavez
*[previously in series: [Erdogan](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/book-review-the-new-sultan?s=w), [Modi](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/book-review-modi-a-political-biography?s=w), [Orban](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/dictator-book-club-orban), [Xi](https://astralcod... | Scott Alexander | 137684508 | Dictator Book Club: Chavez | acx |
# Mantic Monday 10/30/23
# Manifest
Last month, the Lighthaven convention center in Berkeley hosted Manifest, the first conference for prediction market enthusiasts. By now this has already been covered elsewhere, including [in a great article by the](https://archive.ph/L0uGq) *[New York Times](https://archive.ph/L0u... | Scott Alexander | 138369770 | Mantic Monday 10/30/23 | acx |
# Open Thread 300
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 138405847 | Open Thread 300 | acx |
# My Left Kidney
> *A person has two kidneys; one advises him to do good and one advises him to do evil. And it stands to reason that the one advising him to do good is to his right and the one that advises him to do evil is to his left.*
— Talmud (Berakhot 61a)
**I.**
As I left the Uber, I saw with horror the grow... | Scott Alexander | 136660465 | My Left Kidney | acx |
# Open Thread 299
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 138210218 | Open Thread 299 | acx |
# Open Thread 298
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 137998410 | Open Thread 298 | acx |
# Impact Market Mini-Grants Results
Last March we (ACX and [Manifold Markets](https://manifold.markets/home)) did [a test run](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/impact-market-mini-grants-update) of an [impact market](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/impact-markets-the-annoying-details), a novel way of running charitabl... | Scott Alexander | 137738275 | Impact Market Mini-Grants Results | acx |
# Open Thread 297
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 137794021 | Open Thread 297 | acx |
# Pause For Thought: The AI Pause Debate
**I.**
Last month, Ben West of the Center for Effective Altruism **[hosted a debate](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/s/vw6tX5SyvTwMeSxJk)** among long-termists, forecasters, and x-risk activists about pausing AI.
Everyone involved thought AI was dangerous and might even d... | Scott Alexander | 137504176 | Pause For Thought: The AI Pause Debate | acx |
# How Are The Gay Younger Brothers Doing?
In the 1990s, Blanchard and Bogaert proposed [the Fraternal Birth Order Effect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraternal_birth_order_and_male_sexual_orientation) (FBOE). Men with more older brothers were more likely to be gay. “The odds of having a gay son increase from approxi... | Scott Alexander | 136681323 | How Are The Gay Younger Brothers Doing? | acx |
# Open Thread 296
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 137586922 | Open Thread 296 | acx |
# Links For September 2023
*[Remember, I haven’t independently verified each link. On average, commenters will end up spotting evidence that around two or three of the links in each links post are wrong or misleading. I correct these as I see them, and will highlight important corrections later, but I can’t guarantee ... | Scott Alexander | 137210872 | Links For September 2023 | acx |
# Open Thread 295
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 137373706 | Open Thread 295 | acx |
# ACX Classifieds 9/23
This is the trimonthly (?) classifieds thread. Advertise whatever you want in the comments.
To keep things organized, please respond to the appropriate top-level comment: **Employment, Dating, Read My Blog** (also includes podcasts, books, etc)**, Consume My Product/Service, Meetup,** or **Othe... | Scott Alexander | 137252614 | ACX Classifieds 9/23 | acx |
# Book Review: The Alexander Romance
###### *[if this looks familiar to you, see explanation [here](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/book-review-contest-2023-winners)]*
Sometimes scholars go on a search for “the historical Jesus”. They start with the Gospels, then subtract everything that seems magical or implausible... | Scott Alexander | 116796405 | Book Review: The Alexander Romance | acx |
# Highlights From The Comments On Elon Musk
*[original post: [Book Review: Elon Musk](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/book-review-elon-musk)]*
**1:** Comments From People With Personal Experience
**2:** ...Debating Musk's Intelligence
**3:** ...Debating Musk's Mental Health
**4:** ...About Tesla
**5:** ...Ab... | Scott Alexander | 137106694 | Highlights From The Comments On Elon Musk | acx |
# Open Thread 294
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 137136289 | Open Thread 294 | acx |
# Book Review Contest 2023 Winners
Thanks to everyone who entered or voted in the book review contest. The winners are:
* **1st:** ***[The Educated Mind](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/your-book-review-the-educated-mind)***, reviewed by Brandon Hendrickson. Brandon is the founder of [Science is WEIRD](http://scienc... | Scott Alexander | 137077473 | Book Review Contest 2023 Winners | acx |
# Book Review: Elon Musk
This isn’t the new Musk biography everyone’s talking about. This is the 2015 Musk biography by Ashlee Vance. I started reading it in July, before I knew there was a new one. It’s fine: Musk never changes. He’s always been exactly the same person he is now[1](#footnote-1).
I read the book to t... | Scott Alexander | 136923606 | Book Review: Elon Musk | acx |
# Highlights From The Comments On Last Week's Model Cities Post
*Original post: [Model City Monday 9/4/23](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/model-city-monday-9423)*
## Comments On The Solano County City
**Ecorche [writes](https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/model-city-monday-9423/comment/39575807):**
> The Public's Ra... | Scott Alexander | 136809933 | Highlights From The Comments On Last Week's Model Cities Post | acx |
# Open Thread 293
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 136920376 | Open Thread 293 | acx |
# Vote In The 2023 Book Review Contest
If you’ve read the finalists of this year’s book review contest, **[vote for your favorite here](https://forms.gle/yK6Hyv6nt9Kt2X3AA)**. Voting will stay open until Wednesday.
Thanks to a helpful reader who offered to do the hard work, we’re going to try ranked choice voting. Yo... | Scott Alexander | 136858574 | Vote In The 2023 Book Review Contest | acx |
# Contra Kirkegaard On Evolutionary Definitions Of Mental Illness
Emil Kirkegaard [proposes a semi-objective definition of “mental illness”](https://www.emilkirkegaard.com/p/preferences-can-be-sick-mental-illness).
He’s partly responding to me, but I think he mangles my position; he seems to think I admit mental illn... | Scott Alexander | 136470301 | Contra Kirkegaard On Evolutionary Definitions Of Mental Illness | acx |
# My Presidential Platform
The American people deserve a choice. They deserve a candidate who will reject the failed policies of the past and embrace the failed policies of the future. It is my honor to announce I am throwing my hat into both the Democratic and Republican primaries (to double my chances), with the fol... | Scott Alexander | 136287965 | My Presidential Platform | acx |
# Model City Monday 9/4/23: California Dreamin'
## California Dreamin’
Guardian: [Silicon Valley Elites Revealed As Buyers Of $800 Million In Land To Build Utopian City](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/26/silicon-valley-elites-buy-800m-land-new-city).
The specific elites include the Collison brothers, R... | Scott Alexander | 135420060 | Model City Monday 9/4/23: California Dreamin' | acx |
# Open Thread 292
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 136708042 | Open Thread 292 | acx |
# Your Book Review: Zuozhuan
[*This is one of the finalists in the 2023 book review contest, written by an ACX reader who will remain anonymous until after voting is done. I’ll be posting about one of these a week for several months. When you’ve read them all, I’ll ask you to vote for a favorite, so remember which one... | a reader | 123531654 | Your Book Review: Zuozhuan | acx |
# Here's Why Automaticity Is Real Actually
“Literal Banana” on Carcinization writes **[Against Automaticity](https://carcinisation.com/2023/08/22/against-automaticity/)**, which they describe as:
> An explanation of why tricks like priming, nudge, the placebo effect, social contagion, the “emotional inception” model ... | Scott Alexander | 136441865 | Here's Why Automaticity Is Real Actually | acx |
# Highlights From The Comments On Fetishes
Original post: [What Can Fetish Research Tell Us About AI?](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/what-can-fetish-research-tell-us)
**Table Of Contents:**
**1:** Alternative Theories Of Fetishes
**2:** Comments Including Testable Predictions
**3:** Comments That Were Ve... | Scott Alexander | 136446464 | Highlights From The Comments On Fetishes | acx |
# Mantic Monday 8/28/23
## Superconductor Autopsy
Sorry guys, [LK-99 doesn’t work](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02585-7). The prediction markets have dropped from highs in the 40s down to 5 - 10. It’s over.
What does this tell us about prediction markets? Were they dumb to ever believe at all? Or were ... | Scott Alexander | 136477875 | Mantic Monday 8/28/23 | acx |
# Open Thread 291
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 136477828 | Open Thread 291 | acx |
# Your Book Review: Why Nations Fail
[*This is one of the finalists in the 2023 book review contest, written by an ACX reader who will remain anonymous until after voting is done. I’ll be posting about one of these a week for several months. When you’ve read them all, I’ll ask you to vote for a favorite, so remember ... | a reader | 123527886 | Your Book Review: Why Nations Fail | acx |
# Meetups Everywhere 2023: Times & Places
Thanks to everyone who responded to my request for ACX meetup organizers. Volunteers have arranged meetups in 183 cities around the world, from Baghdad to Bangalore to Buenos Aires.
You can find the list below, in the following order:
1. Africa & Middle East
2. Asia-Pacific
... | Skyler | 136380189 | Meetups Everywhere 2023: Times & Places | acx |
# Highlights From The Comments On Dating Preferences
Original post [here](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/in-defense-of-describable-dating). And I forgot to highlight a [link to the directory of dating docs](https://dateme.directory/).
**Table Of Contents**
**1:** Comments That Remain At Least Sort Of Against ... | Scott Alexander | 136214417 | Highlights From The Comments On Dating Preferences | acx |
# More Thoughts On Critical Windows
On [the fetish post](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/what-can-fetish-research-tell-us), I discussed people who had some early sexual experience - like seeing a sexy cartoon character - and reacted in some profound way, like becoming a furry. Sometimes people have described thi... | Scott Alexander | 136056609 | More Thoughts On Critical Windows | acx |
# Critical Periods For Language: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Young writes about [Seven Expert Opinions I Agree With That Most People Don’t](https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2023/08/08/expert-opinions/). I like most of them, but #6, **Children don’t learn languages faster than adults**, deserves a closer lo... | Scott Alexander | 136047600 | Critical Periods For Language: Much More Than You Wanted To Know | acx |
# What Can Fetish Research Tell Us About AI?
**I.**
Arguing about gender is like taking OxyContin. There can be good reasons to do it. But most people don’t do it for the good reasons. And even if you start doing it for good reasons, you might get addicted and ruin your life. Walk through San Francisco if you want to... | Scott Alexander | 135362263 | What Can Fetish Research Tell Us About AI? | acx |
# Open Thread 290
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 136263515 | Open Thread 290 | acx |
# Your Book Review: The Mind Of A Bee
[*This is one of the finalists in the 2023 book review contest, written by an ACX reader who will remain anonymous until after voting is done. I’ll be posting about one of these a week for several months. When you’ve read them all, I’ll ask you to vote for a favorite, so remember ... | Scott Alexander | 136207231 | Your Book Review: The Mind Of A Bee | acx |
# Bride Of Bay Area House Party
*[previously in series: [1](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/every-bay-area-house-party), [2](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/another-bay-area-house-party), [3](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/even-more-bay-area-house-party)]*
You spent the evening agonizing over which... | Scott Alexander | 135314872 | Bride Of Bay Area House Party | acx |
# In Defense Of Describable Dating Preferences
*The New York Times* has [an article on “dating docs”](https://archive.is/YJFD2). These are a local phenomenon - I think an ex of mine might have been Patient Zero. I don’t begrudge the *Times* for writing about them. I’m just surprised they’re considered an interesting p... | Scott Alexander | 135883963 | In Defense Of Describable Dating Preferences | acx |
# Open Thread 289
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 136015844 | Open Thread 289 | acx |
# Your Book Review: The Weirdest People in the World
[*This is one of the finalists in the 2023 book review contest, written by an ACX reader who will remain anonymous until after voting is done. I’ll be posting about one of these a week for several months. When you’ve read them all, I’ll ask you to vote for a favorit... | a reader | 123524461 | Your Book Review: The Weirdest People in the World | acx |
# Highlights From The Comments On Putin
*[original post: [Dictator Book Club: Putin](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/dictator-book-club-putin)]*
**Table of Contents:**
**1.** Comments Further Illuminating Putin’s Rise To Power
**2.** Comments Questioning Masha Gessen’s Objectivity
**3.** Comments Claiming ... | Scott Alexander | 135882179 | Highlights From The Comments On Putin | acx |
# Links For August 2023
*[Remember, I haven’t independently verified each link. On average, commenters will end up spotting evidence that around two or three of the links in each links post are wrong or misleading. I correct these as I see them, and will highlight important corrections later, but I can’t guarantee I w... | Scott Alexander | 135850244 | Links For August 2023 | acx |
# Open Thread 288
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 135759031 | Open Thread 288 | acx |
# Your Book Review: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
[*This is one of the finalists in the 2023 book review contest, written by an ACX reader who will remain anonymous until after voting is done. I’ll be posting about one of these a week for several months. When you’ve read them all, I’ll ask you to vote for a fa... | a reader | 123518057 | Your Book Review: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich | acx |
# More Memorable Passages From "The Man Without A Face"
*Actual serious review [here](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/dictator-book-club-putin), Amazon link to the book [here](https://amzn.to/3XN9Ck7). These were just some extra parts that stuck out to me.*
---
During the *glastnost* days near the fall of the ... | Scott Alexander | 135677698 | More Memorable Passages From "The Man Without A Face" | acx |
# Dictator Book Club: Putin
*[previously in series: [Erdogan](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/book-review-the-new-sultan?s=w), [Modi](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/book-review-modi-a-political-biography?s=w), [Orban](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/dictator-book-club-orban), [Xi](https://astralcode... | Scott Alexander | 134180409 | Dictator Book Club: Putin | acx |
# Meetups Everywhere Fall 2023 - Call For Organizers
There are ACX meetup groups all over the world. Lots of people are vaguely interested, but don't try them out until I make a big deal about it on the blog. Since learning that, I've tried to make a big deal about it on the blog twice annually, and it's that time of ... | Scott Alexander | 135600514 | Meetups Everywhere Fall 2023 - Call For Organizers | acx |
# Mantic Monday 7/31/23: Room Temperature Superforecaster
## Surely Nobody’s Going To Rig A US Election To Make A Buck
Kalshi is a legal prediction market trying to comply with regulations. They asked their regulator, the CFTC, for permission to make prediction markets about the upcoming elections. In grand regulator... | Scott Alexander | 135425310 | Mantic Monday 7/31/23: Room Temperature Superforecaster | acx |
# Open Thread 287
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 135567494 | Open Thread 287 | acx |
# Your Book Review: On the Marble Cliffs
[*This is one of the finalists in the 2023 book review contest, written by an ACX reader who will remain anonymous until after voting is done. I’ll be posting about one of these a week for several months. When you’ve read them all, I’ll ask you to vote for a favorite, so remem... | a reader | 123317400 | Your Book Review: On the Marble Cliffs | acx |
# Bad Definitions Of "Democracy" And "Accountability" Shade Into Totalitarianism
Suppose there’s freedom of religion: everyone can choose what religion to practice. Is there some sense in which this is “undemocratic”? Would it be more “democratic” if the democratically-elected government declared a state religion, and... | Scott Alexander | 118492562 | Bad Definitions Of "Democracy" And "Accountability" Shade Into Totalitarianism | acx |
# New York Meetup On Sunday
**Why:** Some combination of bad planning and bad karma has once again brought me to New York City. I’m 95% sure of my travel plans but I might have to change something last minute - if that happens I’ll try to alert you, and hopefully you can still have a fun meetup without me.
**When:** ... | Scott Alexander | 135446658 | New York Meetup On Sunday | acx |
# Highlights From The Comments On Social Model Of Disability
*[original post: [Contra The Social Model Of Disability](https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/contra-the-social-model-of-disability)]*
## Table Of Contents
**1:** Comments Defending The Social Model **2:** Comments About The Social Model Being Used (Or No... | Scott Alexander | 135367481 | Highlights From The Comments On Social Model Of Disability | acx |
# We're Not Platonists, We've Just Learned The Bitter Lesson
Seen on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/togelius/status/1678071123437649921):
Intelligence explosion arguments don’t require Platonism. They just require intelligence to exist in the normal fuzzy way that all concepts exist.
First, I’ll describe what the nor... | Scott Alexander | 135293928 | We're Not Platonists, We've Just Learned The Bitter Lesson | acx |
# Open Thread 286
This is the weekly visible open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. ACX has an unofficial [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/), [Discord](https://discord.gg/RTKtdut), and [bulletin board](https://www.datasecretslox.com/index.php), and [in-person meet... | Scott Alexander | 135382637 | Open Thread 286 | acx |
# Your Book Review: The Laws of Trading
[*This is one of the finalists in the 2023 book review contest, written by an ACX reader who will remain anonymous until after voting is done. I’ll be posting about one of these a week for several months. When you’ve read them all, I’ll ask you to vote for a favorite, so remembe... | a reader | 123360445 | Your Book Review: The Laws of Trading | acx |
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