As a general rule, it’s better if your definition corresponds as closely as possible to the way in which the term is ordinarily used in the kinds of debates to which your claims are pertinent. There will be, however, occasions where it is appropriate, even necessary, to coin special uses through what philosophers call stimulative definition. This would be the case where the current lexicon is not able to make distinctions that you think are philosophically important. ( ③ ) For example, we do n