THYMÓS Labs (est. 2024) is a non-profit research & advisory lab dedicated to solving hard problems facing the world at this juncture of history. We are focused on three main themes:
We look to combine the best of technology & humanity by working in a collaborative manner with technologists, investors, thinkers, philanthropists, and artists, balancing research pursuits with pragmatic industry impact. Part think tank, part venture studio.
Source: Course of Empires, Destruction; Thomas Coyle (1836)
The genesis of THYMÓS Labs traces back to a realization that amidst the hustle of daily life, from the Zoom meetings to local coffee runs, essential elements of human progress can often go overlooked. What emerged upon further musing was an intuitive conviction that in a world characterized by rapid technological advancement and complex societal dilemmas, we are entering a pivotal moment in history. Core beliefs are manifesting themselves as fissures across economic, political, and social spheres of society, all of which is exacerbated by the rapid proliferation & acceleration of technological advance.
Beyond the epidermis, there was a felt sense of deeper issue at play - a sense of scarcity in our society of what the ancient Greeks termed "thymós". Why were America’s brightest focused on developing enterprise software products, squeezing costs out of their glass manufacturing portfolio companies, and fueling online casinos (looking at you, crypto degens) instead of tackling hard problems such as AI alignment, tackling climate change, developing cures for diseases, and adressing societal issues?
Aligned with the the ethos of progress core to the American Dream and tapping into the wisdom of the ancient philosophers of the Western canon (shout out to Columbia’s Core Curriculum), THYMÓS Labs is our attempt to channeling this spirit to tackle such hard problems.
Source: Automedon with the Horses of Achilles, Henri Regnault (1868)
In Greek antiquity, thymós was a concept that referred to the middle realm of Plato’s tripartite theory of the soul, a place between the mind’s reason & the body’s desire, that roughly translates to: the physical embodiment of courage, vitality, and spirit. Allegorically, Plato in Phaedrus represents this triadic dynamic as a charioteer (reason) tasked with harmoniously reigning two winged horses - one virtuous white steed (spirit) and one unruly black steed (desire)- on it’s journey to the land of the Eternal Forms of truth, goodness, and the beauty. For us, we believe that thymós is in short supply and try to harness this spirit to strive towards that which is noble and tackle the most pressing issues that our Western society is facing today, such as developing aligned artificial intelligence systems, leveraging technology to reverse climate change, and fostering a public dialogue about meaning & fulfillment.
Please see below for our current projects. We’ll be announcing more detail on the specific projects & initiatives as they emerge.