antiQ.ai
A project about rethinking humanities (self)education, born from my experience studying Classics at Dartmouth. I have started building this during Summer 2024. In Fall 2024, Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship at Dartmouth College has awarded me a Founder Grant to continue working on this project. Thanks!
The problem
I believe that the Classics has a high entry barrier because of prerequisite knowledge. The texts are written in ancient languages, which we can't possibly read it as well as a modern language, and they are written in ancient societies, which we can't comprehend as well as our own.
This is not barrier to entry we should underestimate. The languages are actually hard and the study of society is infinite. There is value in the process, but the process is slow and clunky. There is no streamlining of the process, no way to make it more efficient.
At the same time, the Classics seems to have a divergent value compared to other disciplines. I mean this especially with regards to the study of the nature of the humankind rather than else. In conjunction with the modern homogenization and increasing belief in the comprehensiveness of rationalism, it stands at a very different place. It allows for a comparative critique of people from the Greeks to us.
I think the study of Classics is better than not - the potential benefits are sufficient to justify trying to overcome the barriers of entry.
The solution
antiQ.ai reduces the barriers to entry to the study of ancient langugaes.
We offer 3 modes to engage with ancient languages: reading, learning, and practicing. Each mode offers better experience than existing tools. The modes are integrated so that the user can switch between them seamlessly.
antiQ.ai reduces the barriers to entry to the study of ancient societies. (in progress)
Project status
Currently in iterative development. The current version is available at antiq.ai.
Timeline
I expect to serving users by the end of 2024.