Hello everyone, I am Ryan Stefanov.

At the time of writing, I am an eighteen-year-old student. My studies in computer engineering have nothing to do with the contents of this book, so all of the work here has been done out of my interest in philosophy and cultivating a better life.

The beginning of my interest in philosophy started sometime in the past year. I was at the bookstore with my friend, and we stumbled upon a book about Marcus Aurelius (not Meditations). My friend said I should get it, and so I did. After reading it, I was starstruck by the wisdom encapsulated by philosophy. 

Since then, I have made it my life’s goal to be a good person. This meant practicing many virtues, such as wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice. 

Now that I have learned about this, it is my calling to also share with you who seek the knowledge. The hope is that you become enlightened from this book and seek more knowledge. However, those who believe learning is only reserved for school or think they already know everything will not grasp a thing. 

My humble abode in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, and my sojourn in Waterloo have given me the peace of mind to develop new ideas and the clarity needed to finish the book.

Do not let my age fool you into believing I have nothing worthwhile to say; you will be surprised. My generation gets lots of judgment for its ignorance and foolishness, but people of all ages have something to learn from here.