Foundations

The Corpus Hermeticum is a collection of philosophical and spiritual texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic figure that combines elements of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. Written between the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, these writings form the core of Hermeticism, a religious, philosophical, and esoteric tradition that seeks the knowledge of divine truths through mysticism, alchemy, and theurgy. The texts discuss topics like the nature of the divine, the universe, the mind, and the relationship between humanity and the divine. They emphasise the process of spiritual ascent, where the soul rises through different layers of existence to reunite with the divine source. The Corpus Hermeticum teaches that through knowledge (gnosis) and self-transformation, individuals can experience a profound connection to the divine. This path of enlightenment encourages the understanding of the cosmos as an interconnected whole, where human beings play a crucial role in bridging the material and spiritual worlds. It emphasises the belief that divine wisdom is accessible through personal spiritual practice and introspection.

I came to this book in my first year of university, hearing it referenced many times in Jim O’Shaughnessy’s Infinite Loops podcast, cited as foundational to his worldview, treating it not only as an interesting historical artefact but as working infrastructure for how he thinks about probability, and navigating complex systems. Coming to a 2,500-year-old Taoist classic through a quantitative investor is a strange entry point, but it turned out to be a revealing one. ...