Alexander Lane
@aalaneuk.bsky.social
Film-watching, book-reading moral philosophy PhD holder. Socially liberal, bisexual atheist autistic, living the best I can. Fond of learning French and German.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
Reposted by Alexander Lane
Fully agree with 'only cite stuff you've actually read' re: AI in academia, but it needs to be paired with 'give folk proper time to read & reflect'. The pressure to read/write/produce can drive shortcuts. Primarily thinking students here, but also academics, who need proper (paid) research leave.
December 21, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Fully agree with 'only cite stuff you've actually read' re: AI in academia, but it needs to be paired with 'give folk proper time to read & reflect'. The pressure to read/write/produce can drive shortcuts. Primarily thinking students here, but also academics, who need proper (paid) research leave.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
The frequency with which this is happening is so bleak and depressing. Knowing a book has no AI before beginning it, and paying for it, and spending time on it, shouldn’t be a guessing game.
December 21, 2025 at 8:42 AM
The frequency with which this is happening is so bleak and depressing. Knowing a book has no AI before beginning it, and paying for it, and spending time on it, shouldn’t be a guessing game.
Ordinarily I wouldn’t give this waste of oxygen any notice, but this is too good.
Nebuchadnezzar, by William Blake, 1795-1805 (flipped) #NetflixPartner
December 20, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Ordinarily I wouldn’t give this waste of oxygen any notice, but this is too good.
Clementines are indeed great.
remember, if you have a winter cold, eat more clementines than it seems like you really should, and then eat a couple more. it will make you feel better, not in the sense of health, but just in the sense of "clementines are so good and eating them is great"
December 20, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Clementines are indeed great.
In this age of AI, I think it’s become increasingly important to create. It might not be good. It might not be seen by anyone. But we need human imagination more than ever now.
December 20, 2025 at 3:26 PM
In this age of AI, I think it’s become increasingly important to create. It might not be good. It might not be seen by anyone. But we need human imagination more than ever now.
What, and I cannot emphasise this enough, the fuck.
⚠️LAKESIDE: Please DO NOT discriminated against Clinically Vulnerable families, who are trying to shop safely during a wave of "super flu".⚠️
Would you ban customers in wheelchairs or with hearing aids?
1/
Would you ban customers in wheelchairs or with hearing aids?
1/
December 20, 2025 at 1:18 PM
What, and I cannot emphasise this enough, the fuck.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
I may not be the most festive person going, but know it can be a tough time for many people. If you can help support organisations supporting others please do, and, if you need support, hopefully some organisations below can help.
This is far from comprehensive so please do add more at the end. 👇
This is far from comprehensive so please do add more at the end. 👇
December 2, 2025 at 9:53 AM
I may not be the most festive person going, but know it can be a tough time for many people. If you can help support organisations supporting others please do, and, if you need support, hopefully some organisations below can help.
This is far from comprehensive so please do add more at the end. 👇
This is far from comprehensive so please do add more at the end. 👇
Now I left academia after my PhD, but… I kind of thought it was standard practice to READ WHAT YOU CITE?
Good Lord.
Good Lord.
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Now I left academia after my PhD, but… I kind of thought it was standard practice to READ WHAT YOU CITE?
Good Lord.
Good Lord.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
This cruel misuse of anti-terror laws is a shameful moment for the govt. It must act now.
The hunger strikers have been denied their right to communicate freely with their legal counsel, their pre-trial imprisonment & they’ve had severe restrictions placed on their detention. This must all end now.
The hunger strikers have been denied their right to communicate freely with their legal counsel, their pre-trial imprisonment & they’ve had severe restrictions placed on their detention. This must all end now.
December 17, 2025 at 4:54 PM
This cruel misuse of anti-terror laws is a shameful moment for the govt. It must act now.
The hunger strikers have been denied their right to communicate freely with their legal counsel, their pre-trial imprisonment & they’ve had severe restrictions placed on their detention. This must all end now.
The hunger strikers have been denied their right to communicate freely with their legal counsel, their pre-trial imprisonment & they’ve had severe restrictions placed on their detention. This must all end now.
*looks over from the philosophy department*
Scientists getting into trouble when straying from their fields of expertise?
You don’t say.
Scientists getting into trouble when straying from their fields of expertise?
You don’t say.
There is a growing problem of big name natural-science journals publishing social science that is "problematic".
This reflects a inability to accept the statistical standards and skills in social science are often much much higher than in many areas of the natural sciences.
(I'm a chemist btw).
This reflects a inability to accept the statistical standards and skills in social science are often much much higher than in many areas of the natural sciences.
(I'm a chemist btw).
You remember that Nature Aging paper about how multilingualism protects against accelerated aging? Well…
December 17, 2025 at 2:50 PM
*looks over from the philosophy department*
Scientists getting into trouble when straying from their fields of expertise?
You don’t say.
Scientists getting into trouble when straying from their fields of expertise?
You don’t say.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
Going into 2026, a reminder for everyone who's fallen off the creative wagon, game dev, writing, art, music, whatever, no matter how long:
December 16, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Going into 2026, a reminder for everyone who's fallen off the creative wagon, game dev, writing, art, music, whatever, no matter how long:
Reposted by Alexander Lane
Virginia Heffernan wrote this shortly after the 2016 election and it still holds true
December 16, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Virginia Heffernan wrote this shortly after the 2016 election and it still holds true
A modern parable.
Bob Dylan meets the drum machine circa 1985 (via Mike Campbell’s recent memoir)
December 15, 2025 at 2:20 PM
A modern parable.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
I think every now and again about Melanie Phillips, her role in platforming and supporting Andrew Wakefield, the harm she has caused to many children (particularly autistic children) as a result, and how despite that and a million other things she still has a job.
December 13, 2025 at 11:38 AM
I think every now and again about Melanie Phillips, her role in platforming and supporting Andrew Wakefield, the harm she has caused to many children (particularly autistic children) as a result, and how despite that and a million other things she still has a job.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
So you're sat here with chores to do round the house but your autistic brain just ain't functioning like it was yesterday. Your brain just ain't having any of it today, what should I be doing, nope I can't do that today. I can't even remember how to do that anyway. Recharge and try again tomorrow.
December 10, 2025 at 1:07 PM
So you're sat here with chores to do round the house but your autistic brain just ain't functioning like it was yesterday. Your brain just ain't having any of it today, what should I be doing, nope I can't do that today. I can't even remember how to do that anyway. Recharge and try again tomorrow.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
some significant part of this is just catch-all fear for “this is not the child I ordered” I think
Oh, here's a big surprise. The transphobes don't believe in ADHD either.
then, the transphobes , feeling victorious at how many people they have made unhappy and despairing in the previous week, move on to anything else that has a spectrum and the possibility of more colours than they can conceive - such hateful people - they cannot understand anything that is not THEM
December 8, 2025 at 1:09 PM
some significant part of this is just catch-all fear for “this is not the child I ordered” I think
Reposted by Alexander Lane
In yet more devastating news, the VC has confirmed her plans to cut 80% of academic staff from Essex Pathways, our foundation year department. This would effectively close down all our existing foundation year programmes through the back door.
But it's not a done deal yet. Please share urgently.
But it's not a done deal yet. Please share urgently.
December 6, 2025 at 10:55 AM
In yet more devastating news, the VC has confirmed her plans to cut 80% of academic staff from Essex Pathways, our foundation year department. This would effectively close down all our existing foundation year programmes through the back door.
But it's not a done deal yet. Please share urgently.
But it's not a done deal yet. Please share urgently.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
'UK has too many ADHD diagnoses' doesn't pass the smell test as explanation for UK's rising number of young people not in education, employment or training - ADHD diagnoses have gone up at similar rates across our peers, but the UK's rising NEETs are a UK issue.
December 7, 2025 at 11:44 PM
'UK has too many ADHD diagnoses' doesn't pass the smell test as explanation for UK's rising number of young people not in education, employment or training - ADHD diagnoses have gone up at similar rates across our peers, but the UK's rising NEETs are a UK issue.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
You might think that the "Labour" Party would consider labour itself to be a contribution to society, alas no, only "having lots of money" is a real contribution.
Perhaps they need to change their name to the Capital Party?
Perhaps they need to change their name to the Capital Party?
December 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM
You might think that the "Labour" Party would consider labour itself to be a contribution to society, alas no, only "having lots of money" is a real contribution.
Perhaps they need to change their name to the Capital Party?
Perhaps they need to change their name to the Capital Party?
Reposted by Alexander Lane
ADHD is not overdiagnosed. A recent Lancet study published research that analysed 9 million GP records and showed just 0.32% of patients have a diagnosis of ADHD. That's nudging just 10% of the 3-4% of the population who have ADHD. We're underdiagnosed, not overdiagnosed.
December 5, 2025 at 8:36 AM
ADHD is not overdiagnosed. A recent Lancet study published research that analysed 9 million GP records and showed just 0.32% of patients have a diagnosis of ADHD. That's nudging just 10% of the 3-4% of the population who have ADHD. We're underdiagnosed, not overdiagnosed.
Reposted by Alexander Lane
An independent taskforce *just* did a huge review of ADHD in England, and the conclusion was that it's "under-recognised, under-diagnosed and under-treated."
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/re...
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/re...
NHS England » Report of the independent ADHD Taskforce: Part 1
April 2025
www.england.nhs.uk
December 4, 2025 at 12:48 AM
An independent taskforce *just* did a huge review of ADHD in England, and the conclusion was that it's "under-recognised, under-diagnosed and under-treated."
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/re...
www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/re...
No, they do not.
Though Melania probably wishes that her husband does.
(Wow, that was catty.)
Though Melania probably wishes that her husband does.
(Wow, that was catty.)
VARNEY: Do you work 18 hours a day?
MIKE JOHNSON: More. More. And I have to, because President Trump works 21 hours a day.
MIKE JOHNSON: More. More. And I have to, because President Trump works 21 hours a day.
December 5, 2025 at 2:46 PM
No, they do not.
Though Melania probably wishes that her husband does.
(Wow, that was catty.)
Though Melania probably wishes that her husband does.
(Wow, that was catty.)
Reposted by Alexander Lane
Imagine your country being seen as a hope for a new life for thousands of people wanting to live and contribute in your towns and instead of being proud of it you go no nope nope this country should be a scary shitheap people should be scared to come here how dare they think we are good
December 5, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Imagine your country being seen as a hope for a new life for thousands of people wanting to live and contribute in your towns and instead of being proud of it you go no nope nope this country should be a scary shitheap people should be scared to come here how dare they think we are good
Otherwise known as the introduction to a philosophy PhD thesis. Just replace ‘if my interest does not flag’ with ‘if I actually get a job in this godforsaken academic market’.
I love this intro to a philosophy paper, though I can't actually remember which paper it's from.
December 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Otherwise known as the introduction to a philosophy PhD thesis. Just replace ‘if my interest does not flag’ with ‘if I actually get a job in this godforsaken academic market’.