Paideia is a Greek term which is the etymological root for words such as encyclopedia and Wikipedia. The word has a range of connotations, but largely has to do with the raising of youth and the intergenerational transmission of virtues, knowledge, and skill. In ancient Athens, the creation and maintenance of a collective paideia was understood as an educational and cultural task taking place prior to the tasks of building a coherent polity. Education is prior to politics and thus prior to civilisation. Education—the praxis that is our paideia—is the “deep code” of both. Changes in the shape and nature of our collective paideia are more radical than, and ultimately the cause of, any and all political revolutions. Zak Stein

The generalised educational crisis to which MetaPaideia seeks to respond:

Sense-making crisis (what is the case?): Confusion at the level of understanding the nature of the world. Everyday people and experts are struggling to say things that are true, unable to comprehend increasing complexity. The worst-case scenario is a complete epistemic unmooring and descent into the cultural vertigo of an inescapable simulation. The best-case scenario sees emergent forms of post-digital individual and collective sense-making spreading on a massive scale.

Capability crisis (how can it be done?): Incapacity at the level of operating on the world intelligently. In all social positions and domains of work, individuals are increasingly unable to engage in problem- solving to the degree needed for continued social integration. The worst-case scenario results in catastrophic infrastructure failure due to a brain-power shortage. The best-case scenario is a revivification of guilds and technical educational initiatives for a new economics of social system integration.

Legitimacy crisis (who should do it?): Incoherence at the level of cultural agreements. Political and bureaucratic forms of power are failing to provide sufficiently convincing rationale and justification for trust in their continued authority. The worst-case scenario is complete citizen-level defection from all organised political bodies. The best-case scenario sees new forms of governance and collective choice-making that are built out from first principles, factoring in dynamics that are digital and planetary.

Meaning crisis (why do it?): Inauthenticity at the level of personal experience. Individuals from all walks of life are questioning the purpose of their existence, the goodness of the world, and the value of ethics, beauty, and truth. The worst-case scenario is peak alienation and a total mental health crisis. The best-case scenario would allow for a democratisation of enlightenment, sanity and psychological sovereignty