Steve Stewart-Williams

Psychologists have posited hundreds of cognitive biases over the years. A fascinating new paper argues that they all boil down to one of a handful of fundamental beliefs coupled with confirmation bias.

Smarter people are less emotional: “their emotional reactions start more slowly, don’t get as intense, and change more gradually.” [link] Original Article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2023.101760

Why sensitivity readers are bad for free speech, art, and culture. Great piece by Angel Eduardo (@StrangelEdweird) for @TheFIREorg

Author prominence affects outcomes of peer review: "While only 23% recommend 'reject' when the prominent researcher is the only author shown, 48% do so when the paper is anonymized, and 65% do so when the little-known author is the only author shown."

The world is awful; the world is much better than it's ever been; the world can be much better. Contrary to popular opinion, these statements don't contradict each other. All three are true. [link] Great piece by @MaxCRoser for @OurWorldInData