By Reason Alone

'By Reason Alone' explores a broad spectrum of intellectual curiosity, from recreational mathematics and academic spoofs to cultural observations and critiques of digital technology's impact on society. It weaves together discussions on education, philosophy, behavioral genetics, and media consumption, while occasionally delving into personal experiences with bureaucracy and travel.

Mathematics and Science Housing Policy and Society Academia and Humor Productivity and Life Optimization Media Consumption Cultural Studies Philosophy and Debate Historical Curiosities Behavioral Genetics Misinformation and Belief Travel Experiences Literature and Reading Film Reviews Education Technology and Inequality

The hottest Substack posts of By Reason Alone

And their main takeaways

Links for February

101 implied HN points • 21 Feb 25
📚 Literature Book Reviews Philosophy Classics Contemporary History
  1. PhD programs are not taking as long to finish as people think. Many students are completing their degrees faster than before.
  2. Curiosity is an important trait for learning and exploration. It helps us understand complex topics and makes us better listeners.
  3. Reading widely, especially foundational texts like the Bible or works by important figures like Shakespeare, can greatly enhance our understanding of literature and culture.

My Class About Causal Inference

42 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
🚌 Education Teaching Learning Causal Inference Social Sciences Mathematics
  1. Teaching causal inference helps students understand the relationship between cause and effect in social sciences. It's important to make complex ideas relatable to engage younger audiences.
  2. Using visual aids, like graphs, can enhance understanding of complicated topics, especially in a classroom setting. Students can connect better with the material when it’s presented visually.
  3. Recommended readings and real-world examples, like the draft lottery, can spark curiosity in students. Sharing interesting studies can help them see the relevance of these concepts in everyday life.

Links & What I’ve Been Reading, December

110 implied HN points • 24 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Literature Art Music Film Philosophy
  1. There's an event called Patch in Dublin for young entrepreneurs to start new projects. It's a good chance for 16 to 21-year-olds in Europe to get involved.
  2. A world champion Scrabble player recently won championships in French and Spanish without knowing the languages. This shows just how unique and skilled he is.
  3. You can now compare multiple chatbot responses at once to see which is best. This helps understand how different AI models work.

Links for January

55 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Literature Music Film Philosophy Art
  1. The rebranding of a blog can better reflect its content and help avoid confusion about its focus. A clear name makes it easier for readers to understand what to expect.
  2. Microplastics in food and water are a growing concern, and new data reveals interesting patterns about their presence. It's important to stay informed about health risks associated with them.
  3. Learning and education should emphasize knowledge acquisition, just like subjects like science and literature. Understanding the basics improves overall comprehension and appreciation of complex topics.

Links & What I’ve Been Reading, November

46 implied HN points • 14 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Media Literature Art Philosophy Music Science
  1. A lot of interesting media is highlighted, like books, podcasts, and films. There's something for everyone to explore and enjoy.
  2. The author encourages youth, especially those aged 16 to 19, to join programs focused on rational thinking and education. It’s a great chance for learning and growing.
  3. Several recent scientific papers and discussions are mentioned, showing ongoing debates and research that can spark curiosity. Staying informed can lead to deeper understanding of complex topics.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

My Talk About the Sleeping Beauty Paradox

16 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Probability Decision Theory Cosmology Ethics Rationality
  1. The Sleeping Beauty paradox involves a coin flip that affects how often she wakes up, which raises questions about probability. People have different opinions on how she should assess the chance of heads when she wakes up.
  2. One group, called 'halfers', believes the chance of heads remains 50/50 since she doesn't gain new information about the coin when waking up.
  3. Another group, 'thirders', argues she should think there's a one in three chance it's heads because of how many times she might wake up, depending on the coin flip.

Links & What I’ve Been Reading, January

25 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
📚 Literature Books Blogs Podcasts Music Films Papers
  1. Reading links posts can provide insights into what influences someone at a specific time.
  2. Compiling lists of books, blogs, podcasts, and music can help you reflect on your media consumption and discover new recommendations.
  3. Exploring a variety of media like books, blogs, podcasts, and music can give you a diverse range of perspectives and entertainment.

Links & What I’ve Been Reading, February

21 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Media Blogs Podcasts Music Films Books Papers
  1. The post includes media recommendations like blogs, podcasts, music, films, books, and papers that the author enjoyed in February.
  2. There are interesting reading recommendations from various domains and genres suggested by the author, including philosophy, music, documentaries, and movies.
  3. The author provides a personal touch by sharing thoughts on the media consumed, such as novels, music albums, podcasts, and academic papers.

My Pub Quiz

16 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
  1. Hosting a pub quiz is a fun way to interact socially outside of work.
  2. Well-written trivia questions make you feel like you should know the answers.
  3. A balanced quiz with various rounds like economics, history, picture round, or culture can make the experience engaging for participants.

By Reason Alone

21 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy
  1. The blog 'By Reason Alone' is a new home for personal blogging, moving from samenright.com
  2. The blog touches on philosophy, referencing debates on the source of knowledge
  3. Posts on the blog will be shorter, informal, and cover a wide variety of topics

Some Poetry about Behavioural Genetics

12 implied HN points • 01 May 23
📚 Literature Poetry
  1. Parenting has little impact on adult life outcomes compared to genetics.
  2. Twin studies show that shared environment, including parenting, has a minimal effect on life outcomes.
  3. Understanding genetic influence on behavior can lead to varied reactions, from depression to acceptance.

Misinformation is at Most Weakly Related to Lack of Knowledge

9 HN points • 20 Jun 23
🔬 Science Misinformation Knowledge Beliefs Education Climate change
  1. Misinformation is not always due to lack of knowledge, but can stem from having too much specific information on certain topics.
  2. More education can sometimes lead to more polarized beliefs, rather than always resulting in correct beliefs.
  3. Understanding is not just about having true information, but also about navigating biases and not getting caught up in popular misconceptions.

The Agonies of an Indian Visa

4 HN points • 14 Jun 23
🌐 International
  1. Indian visa application process can be overly complicated and frustrating.
  2. Government forms can be poorly designed, leading to unnecessary difficulties for travelers.
  3. Bureaucratic processes can dissuade tourism and investment in certain countries.

Bryan Caplan Meets Socrates

1 HN point • 11 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Dialogue Education Knowledge Wisdom Ethics
  1. Education should aim to refine virtue, not just for practical gains. Seeking education for its own sake leads to better outcomes.
  2. Sophistry in education can be dangerous, leading to superficial learning and a focus on appearances over substance.
  3. Interest in philosophy and the arts can be cultivated in all individuals with the right instruction, even if they initially lack enthusiasm.

Film Review: Oppenheimer

2 HN points • 28 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Biography Ethics History Entertainment
  1. The film 'Oppenheimer' is really three movies in one, which may have worked better as a series rather than a three-hour film.
  2. Uninformed audiences might not grasp the emotional significance of certain plot points in the film, like Oppenheimer's security clearance.
  3. The movie has too many famous actors and a lot of music, which can be distracting and take away from the storytelling.

Andy Clark Meets the Grasshopper

0 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Mind Existence Knowledge Ethics Reality
  1. Life could be considered a game with a goal of minimizing surprise, which is a simple and shared objective
  2. The belief-updating process in life might follow Bayesian principles, but this approach is debated among philosophers
  3. Dreams could serve the purpose of testing and challenging the brain's models of the world to minimize surprises and enhance adaptability