Plural of path; routes or tracks along which people or things can travel, or sequences of actions leading to particular outcomes.
From Old English pæth, from Proto-Germanic *paþaz, related to path meaning 'way' or 'track'. The metaphorical use of path to mean 'course of action' or 'way of life' developed in Middle English, extending the physical concept to abstract journeys and choices.
Paths are humanity's first technology - simply by walking the same route repeatedly, we create lasting changes in the landscape that guide future travelers. The metaphor is so powerful that we talk about career paths, spiritual paths, and learning paths, using this most basic concept of navigation to understand all forms of progress and choice.
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