Our Mission

First Principles for the Future is an open-access textbook that helps students navigate the intersection of technology, ethics, and society. Today, we live in a world where technology has reshaped how our societies function. For the better and for the worse.

Recent innovations have transformed our modes of transportation, work, connection, democracy and overall what it means to be human. Technology is the leading force of change, so we must equip our youth with the ability to control this force. To do this, we must ask the fundamental question of what technologies we want in our society and why.

This textbook prepares the next generation of builders, thinkers, and citizens with the tools to ask not just how we build, but why—and for whom.

Each chapter blends philosophical foundations, historical context, and modern dilemmas, inviting students to think across time and discipline. To ground theory in practice, the textbook features original essays and interviews with startup founders, scientists, and policymakers wrestling with the moral and civic questions behind their work: Can AI serve the public good? What does responsible biotech look like? How do we innovate without losing our humanity?

This is not a static textbook. It's a public, iterative project released chapter by chapter, built for people that value questioning what technology we should bring into our lives and the implications that that come with it, good or bad.

At its core, First Principles for the Future is a guide to doing what the past few decades of technological innovation has not, aligning innovation with meaning, virtue, and the long-term flourishing of humanity.