Tag Archives: science

SSC Journal Club: Dissolving The Fermi Paradox

I’m late to posting this, but it’s important enough to be worth sharing anyway: Sandberg, Drexler, and Ord on Dissolving the Fermi Paradox. The Fermi Paradox asks: given the immense number of stars in our galaxy, for even a very … Continue reading

Adult Neurogenesis – A Pointed Review

[I am not a neuroscientist and apologize in advance for any errors in this article. A recent study came out contradicting some of the claims mentioned here. See here for study, this comment for some discussion, and entry #20 on … Continue reading

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Are The Amish Unhappy? Super Happy? Just Meh?

I. Recently on Marginal Revolution: Are the Amish unhappy? The average levels of life satisfaction [among the Amish] was 4.4; just above the neutral point…the Amish fall lower than members of many other groups. In a study of more than … Continue reading

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The Dark Rule Utilitarian Argument For Science Piracy

I sometimes advertise sci-hub.tw – the Kazakhstani pirate site that lets you get scientific papers for free. It’s clearly illegal in the US. But is it unethical? I can think of two strong arguments that it might be: First, we … Continue reading

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Highlights From The Comments On My IRB Nightmare

Many people took My IRB Nightmare as an opportunity to share their own IRB stories. From an emergency medicine doctor, via my inbox: Thanks for the great post about IRBs. I lived the same absurd nightmare in 2015-2016, as an … Continue reading

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My IRB Nightmare

September 2014 There’s a screening test for bipolar disorder. You ask patients a bunch of things like “Do you ever feel really happy, then really sad?”. If they say ‘yes’ to enough of these questions, you start to worry. Some … Continue reading

Learning To Love Scientific Consensus

[Related to: Contrarians, Crackpots, and Consensus, How Common Are Science Failures?. Epistemic status is “subtle and likely to be misinterpreted”.] I. There’s a list of scientific mavericks who were ridiculed by hidebound reactionaries but later vindicated that’s been going viral. … Continue reading

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Thin Air

The International Journal of Obesity (h/t amaranththallium) points out a correspondence between US topography and US obesity rates: It’s easy to see the Rocky Mountains on the obesity map. Not too hard to see the Appalachians either. Squint a little … Continue reading

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The Heart Has Its Reasons That Reason Knows Not Of

I. Psychoanalysts argue that sons are attracted to women who look like their mothers, because they imprint on their mothers and use them as a schema for their ideal woman. (and probably something similar for daughters and their fathers, though … Continue reading

Some Context For That NYT Sugar Article

Imagine a political historian discovers that Lyndon Johnson accepted a campaign contribution from a big Wall Street bank. Since Johnson’s policies helped shape the modern Democratic Party, everyone agrees the Democrats are built on a foundation of lies. “Republicans Vindicated; … Continue reading

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