I am going to write a book expanding on the article “Based Definitions: A Philosophical Practice.” It was one of my favorite entries, and I believe more people would benefit from engaging with it.
A summary:
Own your words, own your philosophy. You can think beyond lexical definitions (the "official" ones found in a dictionary) or stipulative definitions (those imposed by ego, expecting others to adopt them). Instead, I recommend “based definitions”—definitions that come from Source, deeply resonate with an individual, and require no external validation.
A key yet massively overlooked aspect of practical philosophy is owning the words you use. It’s something I practice in both my philosophical counseling sessions and my own self-inquiries. Defining words for yourself is a powerful move—it grounds your mind on a firm foundation and strengthens your intellectual authority.
"Clear thinkers appeal to their own authority." — Naval Ravikant
Today, I was reflecting on the word integrity and arrived at this definition:
Integrity is aligning action, speech, and thought with what is good, true, and beautiful.
Integrity is doing what you say you’ll do.
Integrity is saying what you think is true.
Integrity is thinking what is beautiful.1
Success, wealth, status, and power all have their place and may naturally unfold from living wisely. But pursuing them directly—whether consciously or unconsciously—without a strong foundation in integrity? Forget about it. It has soul costs, leads to corruption, and will corrupt others.
Don’t play those games. Base yourself in integrity, and start with the words you use.
If you have any questions, insights, feedback, or criticism on this entry or more generally, message me below (I read and respond on Saturdays) …
For an argument about aligning your thoughts with what is beautiful (rather than merely what is true), see the “I Am Not Writing to the World: A Guide to Creating 'Theory Sketches’” entry.