Academia Intrinseci Life Philosophy
Understanding and applying the Method of Intrinsecus
Setting the mind
Embracing the Academia Intrinseci Life Philosophy means to understand and apply the Method of Intrinsecus. Applying the Method of Intrinsecus means setting conscious direction. The Method of Intrinsecus describes ways for any entity to form ideal and ways to make ideal into reality. The Method of Intrinsecus recognises that the only true constant in life is change, and that good, evil, correct and incorrect are always relative and temporary and never absolute. Those entities embracing the Method of Intrinsecus therefore live by the premise that the search for good can never be over and that the virtue of any established value must always be scrutinised by the light of the temporal.
Humanity
The philosophy around the Method of Intrinsecus should be applicable to any entity. This means things, beings, organisations and even concepts. All that is required is a form of conscious direction. In infinity, it is unknown to the author which intelligences, be they artificial, organic, collectives or with as yet incomprehensible workings, will benefit from the philosophy. In the temporal, though, it is clear that humans can apply the philosophy and probably artificial intelligences created by humans as well. The Method and the philosophy are therefore described in a human-centric way. This highly befits convenience as human language falls short in describing concepts that aren’t human-centric. Be aware when reading, though, that application is not limited to humans and isn’t intended to be limited in any way whatsoever.
Dogma
The one dogma that the Method of Intrinsecus demands its adherents to embrace is that there shall be no dogmata. The main faith of the Academia Intrinseci Life Philosophy is that no value will be forever good or evil, except for the faith that no value will be forever good or evil. This dogma does not prohibit the acceptance of truths or the use of rules, laws or other forms of consensus. It merely underscores that while such concepts may last lifetimes or even last throughout existence, to view them as eternal is to accept limitation.
Power
The Method of Intrinsecus increases awareness of power and value. That which holds power decides where value lies for those who hold less power by influencing options. Reciprocally that which is considered valuable by an entity is what grants power over it. To master the Method of Intrinsecus is to realise and utilise that the primary tools to shift power and value are always within the self. The Method of Intrinsecus therefore is not intended to support a set power structure. Academia Intrinseci serves as the originator and inspirator for the Method of Intrinsecus, but true adoption is within the self.
Inspiration and translation
The texts in this document are an effort to translate into language concepts that have formed in the mind of the author. As author, I would describe my state of mind while writing these texts as exploring the revealed concepts within my mind, rather than thinking or creating. The limitations of language and the limited dimensions of the physical world are a constant hurdle in the effort of translating these concepts, as they are not formed verbatim or even visually, but rather as a knowing and an urge to teach. When I’m writing, I strive to word my knowing as best I can, and when I write something untrue, I get corrected by knowing it is not true, giving me the opportunity to reword my writing. Any reader is free to interpret this to their own truths when considering the source of the concepts. For myself, I may participate in musings about the source, but I should stress that my opinion and worldview are ultimately insignificant. The teaching is about the concepts, and their importance is higher than any interpretation of reality.
Hope
While the Method of Intrinsecus is a neutral tool for change in any direction, it is described by a male human mind living in a certain place on Earth in a certain time (the Netherlands, 2020-2023 AD in the Roman Calendar) who therefore has a temporal view of the world with values formed by his capabilities and temporal position. Academia Intrinseci and its life philosophy are founded in the hopes that they will further beauty in the world and encourage the taking of responsibility in caring for the self and the earth, as that is what is direly needed in the eyes of the author. Upon inception, these hopes will serve as direction for adherents of the Life Philosophy, but this is in full understanding that these values are as temporary as any other, making this very paragraph destined to become nothing but a footnote for context in the far future.
Relation to other methods, life philosophies and religions
The Academia Intrinseci Life Philosophy is designed to be timeless, so a true comparison to other systems is relevant only in the temporal. It behoves mentioning, though, because the reader may have trouble disconnecting from one’s previous teachings before understanding the concept of the Method of Intrinsecus and its related philosophy.
Other methods, like the method of logic, the method of science or the methods of enlightenment described by the Buddha may work in conjunction with the Method of Intrinsecus. It is however important to realise underlying dogmata and assumptions of truth. For example, the method of logic assumes cause and effect, the method of science assumes that reality can be known, and the methods of the Buddha assumes that the reality we perceive while incarnated is an illusion.
As for religions, they have many dogmata and assumptions of truth. They often assume that good and evil are immutable and decided by divine law, for example, and they often assume that divine beings exist and communicate with humans. Then there are countless dogmata built on those assumptions, even to the minutiae of what to consume or how to behave or adorn oneself.
To embrace the Academia Intrinseci Life Philosophy is to have the faith that all of these truths and all of these dogmata are only a means to navigate and understand the world. They are ultimately transitory as understanding develops. Even the assumption that there is a boundary between the self and environment, an assumption that the Method of Intrinsecus itself heavily builds upon, may not remain true ad infinitum. To embrace the Academia Intrinseci Life Philosophy is to be ready to assume and shed assumptions of truth as consciousness develops.
Method of Intrinsecus
Understanding the Method of Intrinsecus requires semantic insight into the word intrinsecus, and then a comprehension of the phenomenon of intrinsecus. From these pillars the Method of Intrinsecus can be understood.
Semantics
The Latin word intrinsecus is etymologically interesting because in every region where the Romans have dominated, the word has been adopted, rather than translated, into other languages. From English “intrinsic” to French “intrinsèque” to Dutch “intrinsiek” to German “intrinsisch” to Swedish “inrinsic”. Only the Greeks, who developed philosophy earlier than the Romans would translate it to “esoterikon” (εσωτερικόν). Such historical word integrity, combined with wide adoption, supposes that the concept of the word is both complex and valuable.
The meaning of the Latin word of intrinsecus is varied. It means “inward” as well as “from within” as well as “internal”. It seems that over time “essential”, or “native”, or even “being a defining characteristic” have been allocated as meaning to the word or its adoptions. By these meanings, intrinsecus at minimum encompasses the notions of inward, outward, owned by, and owned from. As such, it has a strong relation to the Greek word meta (μετα). Meta is a preposition encompassing all prepositions: it can be in, out, next to, over, before, after, and more. Intrinsecus however is more specific than meta, as the former relates mainly to what qualities shape an entity more than position alone. One aspect is outside qualities shaping the entity inwardly. One aspect is inward qualities shaping outside reality. One aspect relates to internally reshaping qualities with no outside influence.
Phenomenon
The phenomenon of intrinsecus has much to do with a cycle of change, and just as with any cycle, it is an arbitrary choice to choose which step is step one. We should also realise that this phenomenon relates to anything, but for explanatory purposes we’ll use human-centric wording.
Internal
A human being a human the way it is. A combination of internal qualities and outside influences have shaped it into its current human being. This is intrinsecus as “internal”.
From within
From its internal being, the human acts a certain way towards its environment. It portrays its qualities and asserts itself with those qualities. This is intrinsecus as “from within”.
Inward
The surroundings of the human reflect its actions. Some of the human’s attributes prove valuable and others don’t. The human experiences that it does or does not require adjustment. This is intrinsecus as “inward”.
Then the cycle repeats, where the human readjusts itself internally, ready to venture forth once more in an endlessly repeating cycle of intrinsecus.
Depending on one’s position, the cycle may seem to be reversed in direction, with outside forces engaging and affecting a human (inward) enticing a reaction from the human (from within) which then makes the human evaluate their expectations, stance and response, leading to (internal) restructuring. Viewing the cycle this way though, requires a view where being passive or receptive is not seen as an action in itself, which is a viable truth but not a universal one.
In the same way, the cycle may seem to shift direction. This is when a reflexive action without any internal evaluation happens, returning the initiative to the action’s originator without any apparent effect. Viewing the cycle this way, though, requires a view where an effectless result is not seen as a result to adjust approach with. Furthermore, absolutely no effect is rather rare, and a case could even be made that there will always be some infinitesimal result to any action.
Method
To turn the phenomenon of intrinsecus into a method is to consciously apply its workings. One must understand that the phenomenon of intrinsecus is reciprocal and make choices accordingly. Where we each adjust to our surroundings, so are we at the same time part of the surroundings of others. Others will adjust to us as well as us adjusting to them. In a sense, any quality is subject to osmosis.
For example, if a human is generous with their wisdom, they will enlighten their surroundings and encourage sharing through example. This will make it so that surrounding humans will reciprocate, and in return share their own insights, reinforcing the whole with these qualities. The same can be said for any quality: happiness, cruelty, love, et cetera.
Humans will adjust to their surroundings so as to encounter less resistance in their being. This adjustment includes mimicking the surrounding social structure so as to fit in. Through charisma, coercion, affluence or any other form or power, a person or group of people may set or at least influence this social structure if only they pose as tangible enough to form the resistance others will adjust themselves to. Even those humans who increase resistance to their surroundings to deal with their inner resistance are affected by such influence, just their response may initially be different.
From within
The world will adjust to us. We may form our surroundings to our image so as to make our surroundings grow a certain way. We require the resolve to keep qualities important to us and the power to make others adopt them.
Inward
We will adjust to the world. We may allow ourselves to learn from our surroundings so as to make ourselves grow a certain way. We require the humility to understand that others may have greater understanding than we and may require conscious acquiescence to insights that are deeper than our own.
Internal
We will decide our stance. We may reflect upon ourselves and revisit our values and convictions. Our values should be a derivative of the relationship between our position and our goal and our convictions should be a derivative of our values. This means that where we feel that the world should learn from us (from within), we should reinforce our convictions, and where we feel that we should learn from the world (inward), we should weaken or fully release our convictions. Lastly, and this is where the internal part is unique, we may conceive of an entirely new desired reality and find the stance that will facilitate a transition from the current reality into the newly envisioned one.
Veritas, a warning against hubris
It is important to understand that with any exertion of power, the surrounding will eventually do as you do, not as you wish. If you seek to exert control, for example, the system by which you seek control will also become the system you live in, and as such it will eventually control you. Regulations, violence, lies or any other form of exerted power that pushes through the boundaries of consent will eventually create a world that will push through your own boundaries in the same way. The only escape from this accountability is mortality, and the finality of endings is far from a unified consensus.
Academia Intrinseci
Academia Intrinseci is the organisation that encourages the conscious use of the Method of Intrinsecus. Students of the academia may form entities from among themselves so as to collectively decide their stance, collectively learn from the world and collectively change the world. Academia Intrinseci is based on the faith that a human who is truly honest with their own intentions would create a world that they would genuinely enjoy living in and therefore Academia Intrinseci will support humans in finding their own intrinsic values so as to realise them.