Reading Series
101: How We Figured It Out
The core subjects, explained from the beginning.
Introductions to history, science, math, philosophy, religion, government, economics, psychology, and more. Each book explains how the field developed and how people figured it out.
17 booksThere’s no required order. Start wherever you want.
In this series
Browse all books- 01History 101A meta-history tracing how humans invented the very concept of recording and weaponizing the past, from ancient scribes to nationalist myth-making.24 min read
- 02Philosophy 101A sweeping journey through philosophy's greatest moments, from ancient wisdom to Enlightenment explosions and existential spirals.36 min read
- 03Science 101How science became a way of testing the world, from early observers and Greek argument to microscopes, atoms, computers, and the questions we still can't answer.30 min read
- 04
Math 101A sweeping history of how humanity invented numbers, algebra, geometry, and calculus—from ancient counting systems to Newton's revolutionary mathematics of motion.31 min read - 05
Calculus 101A history of calculus told through the geniuses, feuds, and philosophical breakthroughs that transformed our ability to measure change itself.44 min read - 06
Physics 101A narrative history of physics from Galileo to quantum mechanics, tracing how humanity discovered the fundamental laws governing reality.24 min read - 07
Electricity 101The wild history of electricity from ancient amber experiments to Volta's battery and the scientists who mapped the invisible force that powers our world.49 min read - 08
Quantum 101A historical journey through quantum mechanics, from Planck's constant to Heisenberg's uncertainty, revealing how a handful of scientists shattered our understanding of reality itself.46 min read - 09
Chemistry 101A witty, narrative-driven history of chemistry from alchemical dreams to atomic theory, told through the people and reactions that shaped our understanding of matter.31 min read - 10
Biology 101A historical journey through biology's greatest discoveries, from early taxonomy and cell theory to Darwin's evolution and the molecular revolution of DNA.32 min read - 11
Anatomy 101A witty journey through humanity's quest to understand, map, and eventually upgrade the human body from ancient dissections to modern prosthetics.39 min read - 12
Psychology 101A vivid journey through psychology's evolution from Freud's couch to humanistic rebellion, told through the minds that built the field.33 min read - 13
Sociology 101A foundational exploration of how societies function, how humans interact in groups, and the invisible forces that shape our collective behavior.Short book - 14
Religion 101A sweeping history of human belief from ancient rituals to the Enlightenment's challenge to divine authority.28 min read - 15
Ethics 101A chronological journey through the history of moral philosophy, from tribal instincts to Nietzsche's table-breaking, exploring how humans decided what's right and wrong.28 min read - 16
Government 101A sweeping chronological history of how humans have organized power—from tribal chiefs to divine kings to guillotines and democracy.29 min read - 17
Economics 101Economics from early exchange and the first coins to capitalism, financial crashes, global trade, digital currency, and the arguments over what should come next.29 min read