Thom Scott-Phillips
@thomscottphillips.bsky.social
Language, Psychology, Culture, Philosophy, Society, Evolution • When not doing science I dance the lindy hop
https://www.thomscottphillips.com/
https://www.thomscottphillips.com/
It’s defo real. Substantive conversations took place on old Twitter. Here there is less posting in general and most of it is just announcing/promoting papers, events, etc
Not sure of reasons why
Not sure of reasons why
November 25, 2025 at 1:17 PM
It’s defo real. Substantive conversations took place on old Twitter. Here there is less posting in general and most of it is just announcing/promoting papers, events, etc
Not sure of reasons why
Not sure of reasons why
It is shocking how there has been essentially zero recruitment in UK academia in recent years
November 24, 2025 at 9:13 AM
It is shocking how there has been essentially zero recruitment in UK academia in recent years
On deregulation: What is the rule-out rather than rule-in system? Deregulation or planning? That's what I was alluding to
November 20, 2025 at 11:14 AM
On deregulation: What is the rule-out rather than rule-in system? Deregulation or planning? That's what I was alluding to
I suspect the taste is culturally acquired. It agree it would need to be (strongly) encouraged at first, but often when things are seen to work they are later seen as nice
November 20, 2025 at 11:11 AM
I suspect the taste is culturally acquired. It agree it would need to be (strongly) encouraged at first, but often when things are seen to work they are later seen as nice
It's true that Japan's car storage licensing system could never be sold politically in Europe. But I feel the building regulation system (rule out rather than rule in) could be
November 20, 2025 at 11:06 AM
It's true that Japan's car storage licensing system could never be sold politically in Europe. But I feel the building regulation system (rule out rather than rule in) could be
Don't quite follow. You mean that a lot of Anglosphere urbanism would like local tastes to enjoy greater density and those little passages of local businesses? And so on
Such features of Japanese urban environments are downstream of their planning system, right?
Such features of Japanese urban environments are downstream of their planning system, right?
November 20, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Don't quite follow. You mean that a lot of Anglosphere urbanism would like local tastes to enjoy greater density and those little passages of local businesses? And so on
Such features of Japanese urban environments are downstream of their planning system, right?
Such features of Japanese urban environments are downstream of their planning system, right?
Japan is sort of both, isn’t it?
November 20, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Japan is sort of both, isn’t it?
True, but it's a collective action problem
If institution A shifts that doesn't actually reduce the workload of faculty at institution A, only at institutions B, C, D and Z. And since institution A can't ensure the others will shift, they've no incentive to give up the info they gain from letters
If institution A shifts that doesn't actually reduce the workload of faculty at institution A, only at institutions B, C, D and Z. And since institution A can't ensure the others will shift, they've no incentive to give up the info they gain from letters
November 15, 2025 at 8:18 PM
True, but it's a collective action problem
If institution A shifts that doesn't actually reduce the workload of faculty at institution A, only at institutions B, C, D and Z. And since institution A can't ensure the others will shift, they've no incentive to give up the info they gain from letters
If institution A shifts that doesn't actually reduce the workload of faculty at institution A, only at institutions B, C, D and Z. And since institution A can't ensure the others will shift, they've no incentive to give up the info they gain from letters
Separate point: while I do not like reference letters, I do not find them puzzling. People with power (e.g. faculty) do not have much incentive to change things
Most don't even see the issue with power asymmetry; and they only see the problem of faculty time when they are on the wrong side of it
Most don't even see the issue with power asymmetry; and they only see the problem of faculty time when they are on the wrong side of it
November 15, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Separate point: while I do not like reference letters, I do not find them puzzling. People with power (e.g. faculty) do not have much incentive to change things
Most don't even see the issue with power asymmetry; and they only see the problem of faculty time when they are on the wrong side of it
Most don't even see the issue with power asymmetry; and they only see the problem of faculty time when they are on the wrong side of it
100%. It is a moral failing on the part of the sector as a whole
It is hypocrisy to, on one day, encourage ECRs to speak up about toxic PIs, then on the next day run an evaluation process needing reference letters. It may not be knowing or deliberate hypocrisy, but it is hypocrisy nevertheless
It is hypocrisy to, on one day, encourage ECRs to speak up about toxic PIs, then on the next day run an evaluation process needing reference letters. It may not be knowing or deliberate hypocrisy, but it is hypocrisy nevertheless
November 15, 2025 at 6:49 PM
100%. It is a moral failing on the part of the sector as a whole
It is hypocrisy to, on one day, encourage ECRs to speak up about toxic PIs, then on the next day run an evaluation process needing reference letters. It may not be knowing or deliberate hypocrisy, but it is hypocrisy nevertheless
It is hypocrisy to, on one day, encourage ECRs to speak up about toxic PIs, then on the next day run an evaluation process needing reference letters. It may not be knowing or deliberate hypocrisy, but it is hypocrisy nevertheless
Wise. I hadn't thought of things that way but I buy it. Useful lens
November 15, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Wise. I hadn't thought of things that way but I buy it. Useful lens
Reposted by Thom Scott-Phillips
2. The norm of reference letters creates massive power asymmetry btw faculty and PhDs/postdocs. We want people to speak out about toxic PIs, but we tie their hands by supporting the norm of reference letters
Every other sector does without such letters. We should too
Every other sector does without such letters. We should too
November 14, 2025 at 9:30 PM
2. The norm of reference letters creates massive power asymmetry btw faculty and PhDs/postdocs. We want people to speak out about toxic PIs, but we tie their hands by supporting the norm of reference letters
Every other sector does without such letters. We should too
Every other sector does without such letters. We should too
2. The norm of reference letters creates massive power asymmetry btw faculty and PhDs/postdocs. We want people to speak out about toxic PIs, but we tie their hands by supporting the norm of reference letters
Every other sector does without such letters. We should too
Every other sector does without such letters. We should too
November 14, 2025 at 9:30 PM
2. The norm of reference letters creates massive power asymmetry btw faculty and PhDs/postdocs. We want people to speak out about toxic PIs, but we tie their hands by supporting the norm of reference letters
Every other sector does without such letters. We should too
Every other sector does without such letters. We should too
The required number of letters should be zero
1. Institutions should not be imposing costs (faculty time) on other institutions. Keeping these costs down is good, as you say, but really they should be zero
1. Institutions should not be imposing costs (faculty time) on other institutions. Keeping these costs down is good, as you say, but really they should be zero
November 14, 2025 at 9:30 PM
The required number of letters should be zero
1. Institutions should not be imposing costs (faculty time) on other institutions. Keeping these costs down is good, as you say, but really they should be zero
1. Institutions should not be imposing costs (faculty time) on other institutions. Keeping these costs down is good, as you say, but really they should be zero
On interest rates: I've long thought (but I don't know if it's right) that we talk about housing demand all wrong. We talk about it in terms of # of people/households, but really it's total £ willing to be spent on housing. Which is critically affected by interest rates (among other things)
November 13, 2025 at 10:38 PM
On interest rates: I've long thought (but I don't know if it's right) that we talk about housing demand all wrong. We talk about it in terms of # of people/households, but really it's total £ willing to be spent on housing. Which is critically affected by interest rates (among other things)
Hi! Any further updates? Bloomsbury stopped sending me generic emails for a while, but now I got a more personal one. Minded to reply saying the fact they keep asking me tells me what I need to know. But checking in with you and others first
November 12, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Hi! Any further updates? Bloomsbury stopped sending me generic emails for a while, but now I got a more personal one. Minded to reply saying the fact they keep asking me tells me what I need to know. But checking in with you and others first
About (A), Lindbergh was widely known as "Lindy" and his flights were widely described as "hopping" in newspaper headlines — but we don't know exactly how the name got attached to the dance. There are some stories but no hard evidence
November 11, 2025 at 9:43 PM
About (A), Lindbergh was widely known as "Lindy" and his flights were widely described as "hopping" in newspaper headlines — but we don't know exactly how the name got attached to the dance. There are some stories but no hard evidence
The key answer to your question is, I think, (C)
Lindbergh only publicly engaged in racial politics when the name of the dance was already set. He spoke against Nazi activities but he was probably sympathetic to the underlying ideology
Lindbergh only publicly engaged in racial politics when the name of the dance was already set. He spoke against Nazi activities but he was probably sympathetic to the underlying ideology
November 11, 2025 at 9:43 PM
The key answer to your question is, I think, (C)
Lindbergh only publicly engaged in racial politics when the name of the dance was already set. He spoke against Nazi activities but he was probably sympathetic to the underlying ideology
Lindbergh only publicly engaged in racial politics when the name of the dance was already set. He spoke against Nazi activities but he was probably sympathetic to the underlying ideology
Tom! I hope you're well. Thank you for the kind words
I had some paragraphs on Lindbergh in an earlier draft. I expressed the same point as you, about grim irony. But I chose to remove that material to keep the thing concise. If this was a longer project it would defo be there
I had some paragraphs on Lindbergh in an earlier draft. I expressed the same point as you, about grim irony. But I chose to remove that material to keep the thing concise. If this was a longer project it would defo be there
November 11, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Tom! I hope you're well. Thank you for the kind words
I had some paragraphs on Lindbergh in an earlier draft. I expressed the same point as you, about grim irony. But I chose to remove that material to keep the thing concise. If this was a longer project it would defo be there
I had some paragraphs on Lindbergh in an earlier draft. I expressed the same point as you, about grim irony. But I chose to remove that material to keep the thing concise. If this was a longer project it would defo be there
While I don't disagree, I feel the first five of these are more explanandum than explanation
2008 financial crisis and poor post-Cold War geopolitics would be my first hypotheses about underlying reasons. Which gets us back to the 1990s...
2008 financial crisis and poor post-Cold War geopolitics would be my first hypotheses about underlying reasons. Which gets us back to the 1990s...
November 10, 2025 at 6:30 PM
While I don't disagree, I feel the first five of these are more explanandum than explanation
2008 financial crisis and poor post-Cold War geopolitics would be my first hypotheses about underlying reasons. Which gets us back to the 1990s...
2008 financial crisis and poor post-Cold War geopolitics would be my first hypotheses about underlying reasons. Which gets us back to the 1990s...