Kevin Zollman
@kevinzollman.com
Philosophy and Game Theory at Carnegie Mellon 🦚 Research the interface between philosophy, economics, and biology 💱 www.kevinzollman.com
Pinned
Kevin Zollman
@kevinzollman.com
· Jul 17
raw.githubusercontent.com
I did the thing you are never supposed to do. I wrote a (rough draft of a) textbook: Theories of Rational Decision
It's technical, but from a philosophical perspective. It focuses on the normative theory but touches on some behavioral issues as well.
raw.githubusercontent.com/kzollman/Rat...
It's technical, but from a philosophical perspective. It focuses on the normative theory but touches on some behavioral issues as well.
raw.githubusercontent.com/kzollman/Rat...
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Pretty much no one can make their ideas clear to others on the 1st attempt. The two main reactions are "let's painstakingly clarify this with some back and forth", and "doesn't matter as long as the various interpretations are themselves interesting", leading to the 2 main branches of philosophy.
November 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Pretty much no one can make their ideas clear to others on the 1st attempt. The two main reactions are "let's painstakingly clarify this with some back and forth", and "doesn't matter as long as the various interpretations are themselves interesting", leading to the 2 main branches of philosophy.
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
When did standards change that this got replaced by this
November 10, 2025 at 7:32 PM
When did standards change that this got replaced by this
I think it's a genuine open question whether eliminating "major revisions" as a decision category will ultimately lead to fewer acceptances, the same, or even more
Not sure how I feel about Ergo not allowing major revisions decisions for papers tbh
November 10, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I think it's a genuine open question whether eliminating "major revisions" as a decision category will ultimately lead to fewer acceptances, the same, or even more
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
oh does it 'look bad'? buddy, our papers look like this. we don't give a FUCK about that
November 10, 2025 at 5:33 PM
oh does it 'look bad'? buddy, our papers look like this. we don't give a FUCK about that
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Watson's over-simplification of Crick's Central Dogma is thus responsible for the mistaken belief in 1970 that reverse transcriptase contradicted it! See doi:10.1038/227561a0
7/n #JDWxNC
7/n #JDWxNC
November 8, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Watson's over-simplification of Crick's Central Dogma is thus responsible for the mistaken belief in 1970 that reverse transcriptase contradicted it! See doi:10.1038/227561a0
7/n #JDWxNC
7/n #JDWxNC
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
them: you're on bluesky? what do you post about?
me: policy ideas, mostly
me: policy ideas, mostly
November 8, 2025 at 9:55 PM
them: you're on bluesky? what do you post about?
me: policy ideas, mostly
me: policy ideas, mostly
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
New York millionaires: threatening to flee the city since 2009
November 7, 2025 at 9:36 PM
New York millionaires: threatening to flee the city since 2009
Good on Point Park University. If Ohio doesn't want to keep its bright students, they're welcome over here in PA
Pittsburgh university creates scholarship for Ohio students hit by fallout of SB 1
Point Park University, a 3,500-student private, non-profit school in Pittsburgh, has created a scholarship program to lure students from Ohio public colleges where programs have been eliminated or res...
www.cleveland.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Good on Point Park University. If Ohio doesn't want to keep its bright students, they're welcome over here in PA
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
If we removed SNAP work requirements employers would have to (very slightly) increase wages
I think that this tweet is incorrect.
SNAP functions as a subsidy to low-wage employers because SNAP has work requirements. In order to gain SNAP benefits, people typically have to work 80 hours a month (or be eligible through some other mechanism).
SNAP functions as a subsidy to low-wage employers because SNAP has work requirements. In order to gain SNAP benefits, people typically have to work 80 hours a month (or be eligible through some other mechanism).
I don't think "SNAP is a subsidy to low wage employers" frame is useful or correct. It implies that, if SNAP did not exist, these companies would be forced to pay workers more when the actual situation is that low wage workers would get the same wages from these employers as now but be poorer
November 7, 2025 at 4:00 PM
If we removed SNAP work requirements employers would have to (very slightly) increase wages
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Your cat when you're choking to death in your apartment
November 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Your cat when you're choking to death in your apartment
Is there a name for this fallacy:
"I hate X. I hate Y. So therefore anyone who likes X must like Y."
Polarization fallacy is the best name I can come up with... but I don't love it.
"I hate X. I hate Y. So therefore anyone who likes X must like Y."
Polarization fallacy is the best name I can come up with... but I don't love it.
November 7, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Is there a name for this fallacy:
"I hate X. I hate Y. So therefore anyone who likes X must like Y."
Polarization fallacy is the best name I can come up with... but I don't love it.
"I hate X. I hate Y. So therefore anyone who likes X must like Y."
Polarization fallacy is the best name I can come up with... but I don't love it.
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Potassium-deficient zombie desparately looking for someone who’s thinking about bananas
November 7, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Potassium-deficient zombie desparately looking for someone who’s thinking about bananas
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Leibnizians only want one thing and it's fucking disgusting
This is leibnizian cowardice. Things should only be about one thing.
November 7, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Leibnizians only want one thing and it's fucking disgusting
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
College has gotten cheaper in real terms and much more affordable relative to incomes, but good luck trying to convince anyone to ignore the nominal price ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
November 7, 2025 at 12:46 PM
College has gotten cheaper in real terms and much more affordable relative to incomes, but good luck trying to convince anyone to ignore the nominal price ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Sandwich thing, criminal law thing. Boom that’s the tweet
November 6, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Sandwich thing, criminal law thing. Boom that’s the tweet
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
straight-up jury nullification. this guy did it, confessed to it, and the jury instructions explicitly said that if he did it intentionally, it was assault.
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Jury acquits D.C. 'sandwich guy' charged with chucking a sub at a federal agent
Sean Dunn faced single misdemeanor offense after federal grand jurors refused to indict him on the felony charge sought by prosecutors.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
straight-up jury nullification. this guy did it, confessed to it, and the jury instructions explicitly said that if he did it intentionally, it was assault.
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Listening to the first panel on history of #philsci in CEE. Inspiring that so many colleagues around the world tuned in. A wonderful first talk by Marta Sznajder on Janina Hosiasson (her heartbreaking story below). Now Angela Potochnik on the role of Marie Neurath (Reidemeister) in the Vienna Circle
November 6, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Listening to the first panel on history of #philsci in CEE. Inspiring that so many colleagues around the world tuned in. A wonderful first talk by Marta Sznajder on Janina Hosiasson (her heartbreaking story below). Now Angela Potochnik on the role of Marie Neurath (Reidemeister) in the Vienna Circle
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Tomorrow 6 November is the first of three meetings of the PSA Around the World! A fantastic online program with plenary panel and parallel sessions. All welcome! Note: time zone is 3pm CET.
Check out the program in the thread! 🥳
The PSA Around the World 2025 is coming soon: Nov 6, 14 & 22 (online)!
Hosted by @philsci.bsky.social and @eenphilsci.bsky.social it highlights #philsci from, about, and connected to Central and Eastern Europe.
Great lineup, still time to register!
www.philsci.org/psa_around_t...
Hosted by @philsci.bsky.social and @eenphilsci.bsky.social it highlights #philsci from, about, and connected to Central and Eastern Europe.
Great lineup, still time to register!
www.philsci.org/psa_around_t...
November 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Tomorrow 6 November is the first of three meetings of the PSA Around the World! A fantastic online program with plenary panel and parallel sessions. All welcome! Note: time zone is 3pm CET.
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
In vernacular British English, any noun can be used as an insult if it feels right. Just looking around my immediate surroundings, 'you teacup' and 'you plant pot' work, but 'you subwoofer' and 'you mousepad' don't. Same with pastries: donut works, cheese lattice doesn't. Nobody knows why.
November 6, 2025 at 11:08 AM
In vernacular British English, any noun can be used as an insult if it feels right. Just looking around my immediate surroundings, 'you teacup' and 'you plant pot' work, but 'you subwoofer' and 'you mousepad' don't. Same with pastries: donut works, cheese lattice doesn't. Nobody knows why.
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Not even Noam Chomsky!
November 6, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Not even Noam Chomsky!
Should I visit NYC on Friday or has everyone already fled?
November 5, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Should I visit NYC on Friday or has everyone already fled?
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
The Court clamps down hard on presidential power—fearing that a Democrat might hold it.
November 5, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The Court clamps down hard on presidential power—fearing that a Democrat might hold it.
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
And if you're in Pittsburgh, you get to enjoy being part of making Tony Moreno sad again.
Make Tony sad. Vote.
Make Tony sad. Vote.
November 4, 2025 at 2:36 PM
And if you're in Pittsburgh, you get to enjoy being part of making Tony Moreno sad again.
Make Tony sad. Vote.
Make Tony sad. Vote.
Reposted by Kevin Zollman
Voting accomplished.
(Friends in PA, please do vote today for retaining the supreme court judges. It's important.)
(Friends in PA, please do vote today for retaining the supreme court judges. It's important.)
November 4, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Voting accomplished.
(Friends in PA, please do vote today for retaining the supreme court judges. It's important.)
(Friends in PA, please do vote today for retaining the supreme court judges. It's important.)