Articles & Blog
Choice, Autonomy, and Suffering: A Historical Perspective
Has our modern view of autonomy always been the same? If not, how might a new perspective on autonomy help (or harm) us when we encounter suffering?
Post-Enlightenment and our Attitudes toward Suffering
Following the progress achieved during the Enlightenment in so many areas, our attitude toward suffering changed. We began to believe we could master both human and non-human nature and when, inevitably, suffering provides a reality check, we react badly. But it hasn’t always been this way.
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Your support helps turn research into real-life transformation and growth.
This project begins with graduate study—an investment that will make it possible to deeply research how people can move through their suffering in a way that leads to growth rather than defeat. Graduate school is a significant financial commitment, but it lays the foundation for something much larger.
Through this work, ongoing training materials are being developed to help individuals understand their struggles differently—to engage with pain, loss, and hardship in ways that foster resilience, meaning, and personal transformation. These materials are not meant to be used in isolation, but within a supportive community where people can learn, reflect, and grow together. Transformation and growth are often strengthened through connection, and this project is designed with that in mind.
Your donation directly supports both the education required to do this work well and the creation of resources that can reach and benefit others in a shared, encouraging environment. It’s an investment in knowledge, in compassion, and in the power of community to help people navigate life’s hardest moments.
If you believe in helping people grow through what they go through—and in the strength that comes from not facing it alone—we invite you to be part of this effort.