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/
New post: Modernity In Rhythm
A multimedia origins story for the lindy hop. Migration, technology and a special form of togetherness.
thomscottphillips.substack.com/p/modernity-...
A multimedia origins story for the lindy hop. Migration, technology and a special form of togetherness.
thomscottphillips.substack.com/p/modernity-...
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
New post: Modernity In Rhythm
A multimedia origins story for the lindy hop. Migration, technology and a special form of togetherness.
thomscottphillips.substack.com/p/modernity-...
A multimedia origins story for the lindy hop. Migration, technology and a special form of togetherness.
thomscottphillips.substack.com/p/modernity-...
That argument is an irony for Orban and his base, who are supporting Russia in this war but who are also still upset about language was used to delimit the new borders of Hungary after WWI
October 19, 2025 at 1:18 PM
That argument is an irony for Orban and his base, who are supporting Russia in this war but who are also still upset about language was used to delimit the new borders of Hungary after WWI
Why does Sally’s apartment have so many penguins?
October 14, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Why does Sally’s apartment have so many penguins?
Adding @plosone.org to my personal blacklist of journals
October 13, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Adding @plosone.org to my personal blacklist of journals
Yes. This distinction is important, but sometimes neglected (I think because people want to stress the relevance of many perspectives)
I have written about this in a forthcoming piece, "Language evolution: A view from Relevance Theory"
I have written about this in a forthcoming piece, "Language evolution: A view from Relevance Theory"
September 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Yes. This distinction is important, but sometimes neglected (I think because people want to stress the relevance of many perspectives)
I have written about this in a forthcoming piece, "Language evolution: A view from Relevance Theory"
I have written about this in a forthcoming piece, "Language evolution: A view from Relevance Theory"
How funny. I am right now putting together a grant application to find a better explanation
August 13, 2025 at 1:23 PM
How funny. I am right now putting together a grant application to find a better explanation
Is mind-reading involved in ownership judgments?
By @rekablazsek.bsky.social & @heintz-c.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
By @rekablazsek.bsky.social & @heintz-c.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
August 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Is mind-reading involved in ownership judgments?
By @rekablazsek.bsky.social & @heintz-c.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
By @rekablazsek.bsky.social & @heintz-c.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Incidentally, I am currently reading this. Very well written. And what I know of SBF very much fits what I am learning here. (Don’t know enough about Altman and others.)
August 2, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Incidentally, I am currently reading this. Very well written. And what I know of SBF very much fits what I am learning here. (Don’t know enough about Altman and others.)
“Science is built up of facts, as a house is built of stones; but an accumulation of facts is no more a science than a heap of stones is a house”
— Henri Poincaré (1854-1912)
Artwork by Ursus Wehrli / Keith Haring
— Henri Poincaré (1854-1912)
Artwork by Ursus Wehrli / Keith Haring
July 24, 2025 at 8:20 AM
“Science is built up of facts, as a house is built of stones; but an accumulation of facts is no more a science than a heap of stones is a house”
— Henri Poincaré (1854-1912)
Artwork by Ursus Wehrli / Keith Haring
— Henri Poincaré (1854-1912)
Artwork by Ursus Wehrli / Keith Haring
Some of the images I will talk about
June 25, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Some of the images I will talk about
This concluding paragraph is spot on but the word "British" is redundant, no? The problem is surely global (indeed @stephenkb.bsky.social has oft emphasised how having a national broadcaster puts us in a better place than many other states)
Or am I missing something important? (Real Q.)
Or am I missing something important? (Real Q.)
June 17, 2025 at 10:16 AM
This concluding paragraph is spot on but the word "British" is redundant, no? The problem is surely global (indeed @stephenkb.bsky.social has oft emphasised how having a national broadcaster puts us in a better place than many other states)
Or am I missing something important? (Real Q.)
Or am I missing something important? (Real Q.)
"I've had more concussions than my doctors are happy about"
Seen on last week's @hignfy.bsky.social
Seems to be one of those rare "grammatical illusions": it seems ok but doesn't follow the grammar. Similar to the famous example, "More people have been to Russia than I have"
Seen on last week's @hignfy.bsky.social
Seems to be one of those rare "grammatical illusions": it seems ok but doesn't follow the grammar. Similar to the famous example, "More people have been to Russia than I have"
June 9, 2025 at 7:00 PM
"I've had more concussions than my doctors are happy about"
Seen on last week's @hignfy.bsky.social
Seems to be one of those rare "grammatical illusions": it seems ok but doesn't follow the grammar. Similar to the famous example, "More people have been to Russia than I have"
Seen on last week's @hignfy.bsky.social
Seems to be one of those rare "grammatical illusions": it seems ok but doesn't follow the grammar. Similar to the famous example, "More people have been to Russia than I have"
Incredible headline
June 5, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Incredible headline
"In the next 5-10 years, there is a 50% chance we will have systems with the ability to exhibit all the cognitive capabilities of humans."
These are the words either of a liar, or of someone who does not understand human cognition.
These are the words either of a liar, or of someone who does not understand human cognition.
June 4, 2025 at 1:52 PM
"In the next 5-10 years, there is a 50% chance we will have systems with the ability to exhibit all the cognitive capabilities of humans."
These are the words either of a liar, or of someone who does not understand human cognition.
These are the words either of a liar, or of someone who does not understand human cognition.
Good essay
One thing missing is that there are different ministers and ministries for HE Teaching and for Research. So the two major kinds of activity that universities do are separated at Govt level, which leads to contradictory activities like those described here
One thing missing is that there are different ministers and ministries for HE Teaching and for Research. So the two major kinds of activity that universities do are separated at Govt level, which leads to contradictory activities like those described here
May 29, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Good essay
One thing missing is that there are different ministers and ministries for HE Teaching and for Research. So the two major kinds of activity that universities do are separated at Govt level, which leads to contradictory activities like those described here
One thing missing is that there are different ministers and ministries for HE Teaching and for Research. So the two major kinds of activity that universities do are separated at Govt level, which leads to contradictory activities like those described here
Currently reading Ong, Orality & Literacy. Very interesting and perceptive
Has the main thesis ever been updated/renewed? It was first published in 1982 and there have been relevant developments since
Has the main thesis ever been updated/renewed? It was first published in 1982 and there have been relevant developments since
May 19, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Currently reading Ong, Orality & Literacy. Very interesting and perceptive
Has the main thesis ever been updated/renewed? It was first published in 1982 and there have been relevant developments since
Has the main thesis ever been updated/renewed? It was first published in 1982 and there have been relevant developments since
There's a whole genre by now. My favourite remains Rozin, 2001
Nothing will change unless and until funding panels and job panels start making different decisions. They are the people who set incentives
www2.psych.ubc.ca/~schaller/52...
Nothing will change unless and until funding panels and job panels start making different decisions. They are the people who set incentives
www2.psych.ubc.ca/~schaller/52...
April 15, 2025 at 7:57 PM
There's a whole genre by now. My favourite remains Rozin, 2001
Nothing will change unless and until funding panels and job panels start making different decisions. They are the people who set incentives
www2.psych.ubc.ca/~schaller/52...
Nothing will change unless and until funding panels and job panels start making different decisions. They are the people who set incentives
www2.psych.ubc.ca/~schaller/52...
This is sadly true, and a major strategic error by the sector as a whole
April 14, 2025 at 12:37 PM
This is sadly true, and a major strategic error by the sector as a whole
This is @garrykasparov.bsky.social’s book Deep Thinking. He is spot on here. Both these inferences are mistaken
March 30, 2025 at 3:59 PM
This is @garrykasparov.bsky.social’s book Deep Thinking. He is spot on here. Both these inferences are mistaken
Pasta is one of those ingredients where buying quality really pays off. This brand is my go to, I buy their orecchiette and linguine often, it’s superb
March 24, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Pasta is one of those ingredients where buying quality really pays off. This brand is my go to, I buy their orecchiette and linguine often, it’s superb
Stefan Collini in @londonreview.bsky.social, October 2013
February 26, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Stefan Collini in @londonreview.bsky.social, October 2013
I've no objections to figures *like* that on. On the contrary, I included one in my recent big paper
The objection is unnecessary complexity: lines don't need to cross, no labels, poor use of space and distance, etc. A writer who cared about the reader's energy wouldn't do any of that
The objection is unnecessary complexity: lines don't need to cross, no labels, poor use of space and distance, etc. A writer who cared about the reader's energy wouldn't do any of that
February 25, 2025 at 10:57 AM
I've no objections to figures *like* that on. On the contrary, I included one in my recent big paper
The objection is unnecessary complexity: lines don't need to cross, no labels, poor use of space and distance, etc. A writer who cared about the reader's energy wouldn't do any of that
The objection is unnecessary complexity: lines don't need to cross, no labels, poor use of space and distance, etc. A writer who cared about the reader's energy wouldn't do any of that
This is the last page of "Unknown Quantity", a history of mathematics by John Derbyshire
I would dispute a couple of the entries (theory building vs problem solving doesn't fee right) but it is interesting food for thought
I would dispute a couple of the entries (theory building vs problem solving doesn't fee right) but it is interesting food for thought
February 20, 2025 at 1:29 PM
This is the last page of "Unknown Quantity", a history of mathematics by John Derbyshire
I would dispute a couple of the entries (theory building vs problem solving doesn't fee right) but it is interesting food for thought
I would dispute a couple of the entries (theory building vs problem solving doesn't fee right) but it is interesting food for thought
New paper:
Communication & grammar: A synthesis
Now in press at Psychological Review (cc @apajournals.bsky.social)
In which I describe how contextualist approaches to communication fit especially well with constructionist approaches to grammar
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Communication & grammar: A synthesis
Now in press at Psychological Review (cc @apajournals.bsky.social)
In which I describe how contextualist approaches to communication fit especially well with constructionist approaches to grammar
osf.io/preprints/ps...
January 4, 2025 at 1:27 PM
New paper:
Communication & grammar: A synthesis
Now in press at Psychological Review (cc @apajournals.bsky.social)
In which I describe how contextualist approaches to communication fit especially well with constructionist approaches to grammar
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Communication & grammar: A synthesis
Now in press at Psychological Review (cc @apajournals.bsky.social)
In which I describe how contextualist approaches to communication fit especially well with constructionist approaches to grammar
osf.io/preprints/ps...
We have a great line up of faculty!
Katherine McAuliffe, Boston College
Lou Safra, SciencesPo
Mark van Vugt, VU Amsterdam
Chris von Rueden, University of Richmond
Together they will cover developmental, cognitive, evolutionary and anthropological perspectives on political intuitions
Katherine McAuliffe, Boston College
Lou Safra, SciencesPo
Mark van Vugt, VU Amsterdam
Chris von Rueden, University of Richmond
Together they will cover developmental, cognitive, evolutionary and anthropological perspectives on political intuitions
December 11, 2024 at 11:44 AM
We have a great line up of faculty!
Katherine McAuliffe, Boston College
Lou Safra, SciencesPo
Mark van Vugt, VU Amsterdam
Chris von Rueden, University of Richmond
Together they will cover developmental, cognitive, evolutionary and anthropological perspectives on political intuitions
Katherine McAuliffe, Boston College
Lou Safra, SciencesPo
Mark van Vugt, VU Amsterdam
Chris von Rueden, University of Richmond
Together they will cover developmental, cognitive, evolutionary and anthropological perspectives on political intuitions