I’ve been developing a philosophical framework I call Autognosis (from the Greek for self-knowledge). Its focus is on cultivating conscious responses to our archaic human instincts. Drives that were adaptive in the ancestral environment but often misfire in today’s complex world.
The core argument is that many modern dysfunctions — tribal polarization, status anxiety, scarcity thinking — stem from instincts that are obsolete in current contexts. Autognosis proposes a structured method for addressing this: recognition, separation, redirection, reflection, and design. It’s meant as both a personal practice and a civilizational lens.
I’ve written a thesis paper that lays out the framework in detail, and I would greatly value this community’s critique to help refine it. In particular, I’m seeking feedback on:
Whether Autognosis offers something genuinely new compared to existing frameworks (e.g., CBT, Stoicism, mindfulness).
Whether the structure makes sense as a teachable system.
Potential applications or blind spots.
If you’re interested, you can read the thesis here:
Humans Living on Instinctual Autopilot
Hello Effective Altruism community,
I’ve been developing a philosophical framework I call Autognosis (from the Greek for self-knowledge). Its focus is on cultivating conscious responses to our archaic human instincts. Drives that were adaptive in the ancestral environment but often misfire in today’s complex world.
The core argument is that many modern dysfunctions — tribal polarization, status anxiety, scarcity thinking — stem from instincts that are obsolete in current contexts. Autognosis proposes a structured method for addressing this: recognition, separation, redirection, reflection, and design. It’s meant as both a personal practice and a civilizational lens.
I’ve written a thesis paper that lays out the framework in detail, and I would greatly value this community’s critique to help refine it. In particular, I’m seeking feedback on:
Whether Autognosis offers something genuinely new compared to existing frameworks (e.g., CBT, Stoicism, mindfulness).
Whether the structure makes sense as a teachable system.
Potential applications or blind spots.
If you’re interested, you can read the thesis here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12RIxxL2YxyLiI-L3KuZcdl9Vk3uPfSMt/view?usp=sharing
https://www.harbingerholdingsllc.com/media/inner-compass/autognosis/
Thank you in advance for any engagement or critical perspectives — I want to make this work stronger, and outside critique is essential.
Robert