Paul Bloom
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16 October
6 October
5 October
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30 September
24 September
From one piece Some non-obvious advice for psych graduate students 3 beliefs, in the piece's order there
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korrents.com
Being skilled in statistics makes a person more employable in tech and consulting, not just academia.Their words
Being proficient in statistics will make you more appealing to employers in tech, consulting, and other fields.
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korrents.com
For someone pursuing an academic research career, spending too much time on teaching is a poor use of time.Their words
But I'm here to help you, and I'll tell you that, in the long run, if you're aiming for a research career, spending too much time on teaching is a poor decision.
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Their words
Reading broadly provides new ideas for studies, introduces you to new theories, and overall makes you smarter and more interesting.
17 September
14 September
From one piece Kids These Days, Part II 3 beliefs, in the piece's order there
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Their words
I think these considerations of flourishing matter more than the psychological studies that everyone, including me, is so obsessed with.
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korrents.com
The claim that smartphones are causing the rise in teen mental health problems lacks robust supporting evidence.Their words
When it comes to the claim that smartphones are to blame, this skepticism should be reinforced by the failure to find robust evidence in its favor.
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korrents.com
The burden of proof for banning an activity should fall on the person proposing the ban, not on those opposing it.Their words
The burden of proof should be on the person proposing the ban.
7 September
6 September
From one piece Do doomers believe what they say? 3 beliefs, in the piece's order there
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Their words
the fact that dommers don't believe what they say doesn't mean they are wrong. Some true things are very hard to believe.
Do doomers believe what they say?smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
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Their words
my view is that social forces block the adoption of certain beliefs. We are natural conservatives in this regard, reluctant to diverge too far from the consensus, at least not when the stakes are high.
Do doomers believe what they say?smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
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Their words
unless doomers act in ways consistent with their doomer views, it's fair to assume that they don't really believe what they're saying.
Do doomers believe what they say?smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
3 September
31 August
From one piece Kids These Days 3 beliefs, in the piece's order there
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korrents.com
Disputes about phones, homework and childhood are disputes about values, and more data will not settle them.Their words
the claim here is that arguments about smartphones, bullying, and homework are arguments about values, often moral values
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Their words
I think it’s entirely plausible that screens have a real negative effect on teenagers, but studies can’t find them because (a) the effects need not be dose-dependent (maybe two hours on your phone isn’t worse than one hour), and (b) given that everyone else is on social media, giving it up can have a negative effect.
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korrents.com
That everyone believes childhood has got worse is not evidence that it has, because every generation has believed it.Their words
But it does suggest that the popularity of despair can’t be taken as good evidence that this despair is warranted.
26 August
- x.com
- Newsletter19 pieces of teaching advice
17 August
3 August
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Their words
Are parents better people? Not really. Parental love directs enormous concern toward a few particular people, leaving less for everyone else.
20 July
From one piece Death by AI 2 beliefs, in the piece's order there
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Their words
I agree with Koopman that people really are swayed by such cases. I also think it’s a dumb-ass gut response that we should try our best to get over.
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Their words
The second failure of rationality is a status quo bias: an unseemly attachment to the way things currently are; an irrational overweighing of the cost of the new. We effectively end up comparing a new technology to perfection, so it’s no wonder it comes up short.
13 July
3 July
30 June
16 June
From one piece Immortality Sounds Pretty Good, Actually 4 beliefs, in the piece's order there
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korrents.com
A human life has no overall narrative arc, so nothing is lost by refusing to see it as a story that needs an ending.Their words
But there’s no overall narrative arc—it’s just been one thing after another.
Immortality Sounds Pretty Good, Actuallysmallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
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Their words
But when I think about all the goals I have in my life right now—finish this Substack, get the house ready for some visitors, prepare a course for next year, write a paper, etc.—none of it is driven by an appreciation of my mortality.
Immortality Sounds Pretty Good, Actuallysmallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
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korrents.com
A very long life would not grow boring, because pleasures spaced far enough apart do not wear out.Their words
There are things that we naturally take pleasure in—such as friendship, sex, and Italian food—and while we can become sick of anything if continually exposed to it in large doses, we don’t get tired of these things if they are properly distributed in time.
Immortality Sounds Pretty Good, Actuallysmallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
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korrents.com
Living for as long as possible is worth wanting: if you enjoy life now, more of it is simply better.Their words
This seems like an easy yes. If you enjoy life right now, why not get more of it?
Immortality Sounds Pretty Good, Actuallysmallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
10 June
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24 February
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10 November 2025
9 November 2024
1 September 2024
13 May 2024
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Their words
My argument against empathy is limited. It argues that empathy is a poor moral guide. It leads to bad decisions.
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Lovedrcmnd.app
The Sense of StyleTheir words
Steven Pinker goes deep, showing how understanding the science of memory, social understanding, and syntactic structure can really pay off in making one a better writer.
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Recommendsrcmnd.app
The Writing WorkshopTheir words
I highly recommend this for graduate students and postdocs, but it’s useful for the rest of us as well.
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Likedrcmnd.app
On WritingTheir words
But Stephen King has good war stories, and his book really is bullshit-free.
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Lovedrcmnd.app
Clear and Simple as the TruthTheir words
When I’m stuck and hate myself and my work, I pick up Francis-Noël Thomas and Mark Tuner’s short and wonderful book
8 April 2024
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Their words
In her wonderful first book, The Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't, Julia Galef appreciates where this Soldier Mindset comes from
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Lovedrcmnd.app
The Biggest BluffTheir words
The Biggest Bluff is a highly enjoyable book that chronicles Konnikova’s journey from a novice at poker to a world champion—but it’s not just that.
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Lovedrcmnd.app
Transformative ExperienceTheir words
This is a fascinating book on a fascinating topic—how we choose (and how we should choose) whether or not to make radical life changes, such as becoming a parent.
+ 4 more
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Lovedrcmnd.app
Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define UsTheir words
This is a humane book—there is a warmth and wisdom to Roberts’ writing; he has a real affection for and curiosity about everyday decision makers—but it carries real bite.
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Lovedrcmnd.app
Trying Not to Try: The Art and Science of SpontaneityTheir words
This delightful book isn’t so much about how to decide what to do; it’s more about how to be cool while doing it.
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Recommendsrcmnd.app
Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and LifeTheir words
If I were teaching a course in decision-making and had to assign one book, it would be this one.
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Lovedrcmnd.app
The Idea of the Brain: The Past and Future of NeuroscienceTheir words
This is a great book for anyone interested in learning about neuroscience—and I’d recommend it as well for many of my more neuro-crazed psychology professor colleagues.
2 January 2024
From one piece Virtual Reality is a terrible empathy machine 3 beliefs, in the piece's order there
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Their words
The various versions of VR out there, high-tech and low-tech, are terrible empathy machines. After using them, you often end up with less of an understanding of other lives than you started with.
Virtual Reality is a terrible empathy machinesmallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
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Their words
Instead of assuming that we can know what it is like to be them, we can focus more on listening to what they have to say.
Virtual Reality is a terrible empathy machinesmallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
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Their words
But in general, we are nowhere near as good at empathy as we think we are.
Virtual Reality is a terrible empathy machinesmallpotatoes.paulbloom.net
29 December 2023
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22 December 2017
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13 July 2015
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24 February 2014
Nothing matches.
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