Competition

as 'process of petitioning against'

Morphological Analysis

• Etymon: Latin conpetō: 'petition against'
• Morpheme breakdown: con + petō → 'petition against'
• Functional cognate: conpetō: 'try against'

Essential Definition

The process of petitioning against.

Semantic Context

• Conventional sense: To be in rivalry with another for the same thing, position, or reward; to contend. (Note: Semantic drift from essential meaning)
• Essential meaning (my usage): process of petitioning against

Philosophical Significance

This definition allows one to construct a decisive contrast between competition and co-petition, derive a logical proof that, existentially, competition is inherently self-destructive, condemn it on existential grounds as antithetical to existence, and ultimately present co-petition as the only life-affirming alternative.

Usage in This Lexicon

When I use the word competition in my work, I mean exactly 'process of petitioning against'. This enables:

• Establishes a Foundational Dichotomy: It creates a clear, binary opposition to "co-petition" ("petitioning together"). This sharp contrast is the central axis around which the entire argument revolves, making the Gospel's ethic immediately understandable.
• Reveals the Inherent Antagonism: The phrase "petitioning against" linguistically and philosophically frames competition as inherently adversarial. It's not just striving for something, but doing so in opposition to another, framing the relationship as zero-sum and conflict-based.
• Exposes the Self-Terminating Logic: This definition allows the text to logically argue that competition is a "closed logic." If the goal is to petition against others until they are eliminated, the ultimate result is a nullity—no "others" left, thus ending the dynamic field of existence itself.
• Enables Moral & Existential Condemnation: Defining it this way categorically labels unbounded competition as "the ethic of death." "Petitioning against" is shown to lead logically to foreclosure and annihilation, making it fundamentally anti-life, not just inefficient.
• Elevates "Co-petition" as the Sacred Alternative: By giving competition a negative definition, the morally and existentially superior nature of "co-petition" is thrown into relief. If one is against, the other is with, aligning cooperation naturally with life and open-ended flourishing.
• Clarifies the Limited Role of Healthy Competition: This definition helps compartmentalize where competition is acceptable (e.g., games, sports). The text can argue these are bounded exceptions precisely because they are not the unbounded "process of petitioning against" applied to life itself.
• Provides a Memorable Conceptual Hook: The wordplay (com-petition vs. co-petition) and the clear, opposing prepositions (against vs. together) make the core thesis highly memorable and sticky, transforming a common word into a specific, loaded term.
• Roots the Argument in First Principles: The definition shifts the debate from practical outcomes to ontological (nature of being) first principles. It frames the issue as what competition is at its core: a process that seeks to end the very condition (difference) that makes existence possible.

Related Terms

• Co-petition

Sources

• Wiktionary

This definition follows morphological essentialism principles. See [[Methodology]] for details.