Stephen Malina

Book Review - The Art of Learning

This is a review of The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence by Joshua Waitzkin.

I’m sort of surprised how much I …

My favorite random internet writing - A tier list

As someone who has and continues to derive tremendous value from writing on the internet, I’ve recently felt an urge to share some of …

2021 Predictions

For the past two years, my friends have had a tradition of making predictions and scoring them at the end of the year. This year, I decided …

My Maniac Week - A Review

A review of my 'maniac week' experiment working 11+ hours daily while avoiding distractions.

Upcoming Maniac Week

A detailed plan for a 6-day 'maniac week' experiment working 11+ hours daily, including goals, rules, tracking methods, and strategies to maintain focus while minimizing distractions.

Becoming a more playful, deeper thinker

Reflecting on playful and deep thinking and whether I need more of it.

Course Review - Causal Inference

A review of Professor Elias Bareinboim's causal inference course, highlighting key concepts like structural causal models, identifiability, and the algorithmic approach to causality through examples and counterexamples.

Digital Reduction Experiment

A personal experiment to dramatically reduce internet engagement through app-enforced blocks and accountability measures, inspired by Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism philosophy.

Deriving the front-door criterion with the do-calculus

A step-by-step mathematical derivation of the front-door criterion in causal inference using the do-calculus, demonstrating how to identify causal effects even with unmeasured confounding.

Decaf vs. regular coffee blinded experiment

A two-week blinded, randomized self-experiment comparing the effects of regular versus decaf coffee on cognitive performance, mood, and alertness, with detailed methodology and quantitative analysis.