Our Philosophy
Ethos
Remove what doesn't earn its place. Keep what serves the work.
What This Means in Practice
Before adding anything—a feature, a paragraph, a design element—ask three questions:
This isn't minimalism for aesthetics. It's discipline for clarity. Every element must justify its place—in code, in writing, in design.
The Principle: Less, But Better
Dieter Rams asked: "Is my design good design?" We ask the same of every experiment, every paper, every line of code. The answer requires honest self-examination.
Mies van der Rohe proved that "less is more" in architecture. We prove it in software. Not by removing features—by ensuring every element justifies its existence.
The Eameses showed us "the best for the most for the least." We build tools that serve developers without waste, without bloat, without compromise.
The Subtractive Triad
Creation is the discipline of removing what obscures. This meta-principle manifests at three levels, each with its own question:
| Level | Discipline | Question | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation | DRY | "Have I built this before?" | Unify |
| Artifact | Rams | "Does this earn its existence?" | Remove |
| System | Heidegger | "Does this serve the whole?" | Reconnect |
The triad is coherent because it's one principle—subtractive revelation—applied at three scales. Truth emerges through disciplined removal at every level of abstraction.
For any decision, ask the three questions in order. If you've built it before, unify. If it doesn't earn its place, remove. If it doesn't serve the whole, reconnect—or remove.
Visual Demonstration
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Frame 1 of 5
Inspired by Gabriel Santos (Stone Story RPG): "I start with the full pyramid and I erase it layer by layer."
Standards Across the Ecosystem
Research Standards
- — Every paper must answer: Is this useful? Not interesting, not novel—useful.
- — Findings must be reproducible. Methodology transparent. Metrics honest.
- — Writing serves the reader. Clarity over cleverness. Simple language over jargon.
- — If a principle from .ltd applies, cite it. Connect theory to the lineage.
Practice Standards
- — Every experiment must teach a principle, not just a technique.
- — Interfaces are minimal. Zero decoration. Only essential feedback.
- — Success is completion, not clicks. Measure learning, not engagement.
- — Link to .io for depth, to .ltd for philosophy. Practice without context is shallow.
Service Standards
- — Delivered work must meet canonical standards. No shortcuts, no compromises.
- — Solutions solve problems. Not features for features' sake.
- — Documentation is complete. Code is readable. Future maintainers are users too.
- — Case studies cite which .ltd principles were applied. Proof, not just claims.
The Automation Layer
Automation Infrastructure is infrastructure that recedes. It embodies Gelassenheit—"releasement"—the tool that disappears into transparent use. You don't think about the automation; you think about what you're trying to accomplish.
This is the life's work: building the layer between human intention and system execution. Not automation that fills every gap (Gestell—the danger of technology as mere "enframing")—but automation that enables dwelling. Systems that work while you sleep, recover what you'd miss, handle what you'd forget.
WORKWAY is where this philosophy becomes code. An open marketplace for TypeScript workflows, running on Cloudflare's edge. The SDK absorbs complexity. The marketplace curates quality. The infrastructure recedes.
THE AUTOMATION LAYER
Human Intention
↓ crystallized into
Configurable Constraints
↓ executed by
Autonomous Agents
↓ running on
Edge Infrastructure
↓ producing
Outcomes While You Sleep
The Hermeneutic Circle
.ltd provides the horizon of understanding for everything else. You can't evaluate research (.io) without standards. You can't design practice (.space) without principles. You can't deliver services (.agency) without a philosophical ground.
But the circle feeds back: real-world outcomes test the canon. If a principle doesn't hold in production, it doesn't belong in .ltd. The canon evolves—slowly, carefully—through validation.
.ltd (STANDARDS)
↓ provides criteria
.io (RESEARCH)
↓ validated through
.space (PRACTICE)
↓ applied to clients
.agency (SERVICES)
↓ feeds back to
.ltd (ethos evolves)