Character, defined as the constancy of the will (constantia), is a concept that embodies the unity, necessity, rationality, and universality of the human will. In its fundamental sense, this constancy is regarded as an intrinsic property of the unique act of will. It is only through this understanding that the term can be used in an extrinsic, empirical way to signify the conformity of all different acts of will to a single, unchanging norm. At various levels of discourse, both interpretations are valid and can be used to illuminate each other. Extrinsic constancy must be understood as a result or proof of the experience of intrinsic constancy.