Slate Star Codex

A Slate Star Codex is a blog that focuses on rationalist analysis of science, medicine, philosophy, politics, and futures studies.

• AKA: SSC, Astral Codex Ten, ACX.
• Context:
  • It can typically provide Rationalist Analysis through evidence-based reasoning.
  • It can typically explore Scientific Concepts through detailed examination.
  • It can typically analyze Medical Practices through psychiatric perspective.
  • It can typically investigate Philosophical Ideas through rational discourse.
  • It can typically evaluate Political Positions through multi-perspective analysis.
  • It can typically forecast Future Developments through trend analysis.
  • ...
  • It can often facilitate Community Discussion through comment section.
  • It can often provide Book Reviews through critical analysis.
  • It can often implement Thought Experiments through hypothetical scenario.
  • It can often support Intellectual Debate through steelmanning opposing viewpoints.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Personal Blog to being a Cultural Institution, depending on its community impact.
  • It can range from being a Medical Resource to being a Philosophical Text, depending on its content focus.
  • ...
  • It can have Blog Posts with varying length and complexity.
  • It can include Comment Sections for reader engagement.
  • It can provide External Links to supporting material.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Slate Star Codex (2013), marking the blog launch.
  • Slate Star Codex (2015), during peak comment activity.
  • Slate Star Codex (2018), featuring influential rationalist discourse.
  • Slate Star Codex (2020), during temporary shutdown.
  • Astral Codex Ten (2021), marking the blog relaunch.
  • Astral Codex Ten (2024), featuring the published Unsong book.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • LessWrong, which emphasizes community contribution over single author perspective.
  • Marginal Revolution, which focuses on economic analysis rather than psychiatric insight.
  • Overcoming Bias, which prioritizes specific bias examination over broad topic exploration.
  • The Motte, which centers on argument refinement rather than concept introduction.
• See: LessWrong, Blog, Science, Medicine, Psychiatry, Philosophy, Politics, Futures Studies, San Francisco Bay Area, Psychiatrist.

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References

2025

• (Wikipedia, 2025) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate_Star_Codex Retrieved:2025-4-4.
  • Astral Codex Ten (ACX), formerly Slate Star Codex (SSC), is a blog focused on science, medicine (especially psychiatry), philosophy, politics, and futurism. The blog is written by Scott Alexander Siskind, a San Francisco Bay Area psychiatrist, under the pen name Scott Alexander.

    Slate Star Codex was launched in 2013 and was discontinued on June 23, 2020. , the blog is partially back online, with the content restored but commenting disabled. The successor blog, Astral Codex Ten, was launched on January 21, 2021.

    Alexander also blogged at the rationalist community blog LessWrong, and wrote a fiction book in blog format named Unsong. A revised version of Unsong was published on May 24, 2024.

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