Principle

In, The Seven Habbit of Highly Effective People Steven Covey presents an objective definition of principles. He proposes that character aspects or values which are indeniable in the respect that their converse could not, without countradiction, be held as a priciple, are in fact priciples. Life, Success, Honesty, etc. in this respect are absolute principles. For example, upholding Death as a priciple unavoidably implies the value of Life, therefore Life is a principle.

Being wary of a-priori knowledge, I must point out, that this notion of principle stems from an ethical framework where some concept of the good life is supported. From this, the priciple of Life and the others emerge, where they do not countradict any notion of the good life.

Although we share a common pool of principles that provide a bases for collaboration, how we value the various principles can be highly subjective. For example, one might hold Life over Freedom, others may value Liberty over Life.

Personally, Truth is the highest principle, for without Truth, there is no bases for determining anything else. Love is the second, for we would give our lives only for what we truely Love. Then comes Life, as the magnificent organism of which I am part which provides the constant stream of opportunities for loving and learning.