Reading Paths
Not sure where to start? These curated paths guide you through the content based on your interests and philosophical background.
🌱 Path 1: Introduction to Cross-Traditional Wisdom
Best for: Newcomers to philosophy or those exploring beyond a single tradition
Time commitment: 30-45 minutes
The Journey:
- Start here: Friction as Gift (5 min)
- Why: Short, accessible, introduces the idea that wisdom requires difficulty
- Key concept: Human flourishing needs resistance
- Then: What You Can’t Control (8 min)
- Why: Shows how different traditions (Stoicism, Buddhism) address the same problem
- Key concept: Buddhist-Stoic synthesis on acceptance and control
- Finally: You Are Not Self-Made (20 min)
- Why: Challenges Western individualism through Confucian lens
- Key concept: Relational identity and constitutive relationships
Reflection questions:
- Which tradition resonated most with you? Why?
- How does cross-traditional dialogue differ from single-framework approaches?
- Which insight will you experiment with this week?
đź’» Path 2: Technology and Human Flourishing
Best for: Those grappling with digital life, algorithms, and attention economy
Time commitment: 45-60 minutes
The Journey:
- Start here: Presence as Resistance (10 min)
- Why: Practical Buddhist approach to mindfulness in digital age
- Key concept: Awareness as subversion of algorithmic manipulation
- Then: The Attention Economy and Fragmented Consciousness (15 min)
- Why: Diagnoses the structural problem of attention harvesting
- Key concept: Colonization of consciousness
- Deep dive: The Algorithm Doesn’t Care About Your Flourishing (20 min)
- Why: Philosophical analysis of AI ethics through virtue lens
- Key concept: Optimization vs. human good
- Return to: Friction as Gift (5 min)
- Why: Re-read with new context about algorithms removing friction
- Key concept: Which frictions are worth preserving?
Reflection questions:
- Where in your digital life are you unconsciously reacting vs. consciously choosing?
- What would one mindful moment per day look like for you?
- Which “frictions” in your life might actually be supporting flourishing?
Next steps:
- Practice: Three conscious breaths before checking phone each morning
- Experiment: One day without infinite scroll (set app time limits)
- Reflect: Journal on what you notice when you notice
🧠Path 3: Ethics Without Certainty
Best for: Those navigating moral complexity in post-religious contexts
Time commitment: 40-50 minutes
The Journey:
- Start here: What You Can’t Control (8 min)
- Why: Introduces ethical decision-making under uncertainty
- Key concept: Do what’s yours to do, release the rest
- Then: The Algorithm Doesn’t Care About Your Flourishing (20 min)
- Why: Shows how virtue ethics applies to contemporary AI challenges
- Key concept: Optimization metrics vs. human excellence
- Finally: You Are Not Self-Made (20 min)
- Why: Grounds ethics in relational responsibility, not individual autonomy
- Key concept: Confucian relational ethics
Reflection questions:
- How do you make ethical decisions without absolute moral certainty?
- What role does community/relationship play in your moral reasoning?
- Where in your life are you optimizing for the wrong metrics?
Further exploration:
- Read Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue for deeper dive into virtue ethics
- Explore Confucian Analects for relational moral philosophy
- Study Epictetus’ Enchiridion for Stoic practical ethics
🔄 Path 4: Identity and Authenticity
Best for: Those questioning “who am I?” in a fragmented world
Time commitment: 35-45 minutes
The Journey:
- Start here: You Are Not Self-Made (20 min)
- Why: Fundamentally reframes identity as relational, not autonomous
- Key concept: You become who you are through relationships
- Then: The Attention Economy and Fragmented Consciousness (15 min)
- Why: Shows how digital culture fragments sense of self
- Key concept: Self curated for consumption vs. integrated from within
- Finally: Presence as Resistance (10 min)
- Why: Offers practice for reclaiming integrated presence
- Key concept: Noticing brings freedom
Reflection questions:
- Who are you apart from your relationships? (Trick question!)
- Where is your identity shaped by external metrics (likes, validation, status)?
- What would authentic presence feel like in your daily life?
Practice:
- List 5 relationships that most shaped who you are
- Notice when you’re performing identity vs. being present
- Experiment with one day offline to observe your sense of self
🎯 Choose Your Own Path
By Time Available
5 minutes:
10 minutes:
15 minutes:
20+ minutes:
By Philosophical Tradition
Interested in Buddhism:
Interested in Stoicism:
Interested in Confucianism:
Interested in Virtue Ethics:
By Current Life Challenge
Struggling with digital overwhelm: → Path 2: Technology and Human Flourishing
Facing difficult ethical decisions: → Path 3: Ethics Without Certainty
Questioning identity/purpose: → Path 4: Identity and Authenticity
New to philosophy: → Path 1: Introduction to Cross-Traditional Wisdom
Creating Your Own Path
The paths above are suggestions. Feel free to:
- Browse the Content Catalog for complete inventory
- Search by tags for specific topics
- Jump to what calls you — sometimes wisdom finds you, not the other way around
- Re-read with new context — insights deepen with each encounter
After You Finish a Path
Integrate:
- Which insight will you experiment with this week?
- What practice could you try for 7 days?
- Who could you discuss this with?
Go Deeper:
- Check “Further Reading” sections in each piece
- Explore Recommended Resources for books and thinkers
- Engage with primary texts from traditions that resonated
Contribute:
- Share your reflections via GitHub issues
- Write your own insight based on what you learned
- See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines
These paths will expand as new content is added. Bookmark this page and return as the library grows.