Stoic News

By Dave Kelly

Saturday, April 05, 2025

"Core Stoicism" translated into executable python code


"Core Stoicism" translated into executable python code: 


Claude:

Here's an executable Python implementation of the expanded Stoic philosophy: 


```python

class CoreStoicism:

    def __init__(self):

        # Initial beliefs and state

        self.beliefs = {

            "happiness_is_desired": True,

            "complete_happiness_possible": None,  # To be proven

            "virtue_is_good": True,

            "vice_is_evil": True,

            "universe_is_as_it_should_be": True

        }

        

        # Categories of things

        self.things = {

            "in_our_control": ["beliefs", "will", "judgments", "virtue", "vice"],

            "out_of_our_control": ["external_outcomes", "others_actions", "wealth", "fame", "health"]

        }

        

        # Appropriate aims vs objects of desire

        self.appropriate_aims = ["life", "health", "knowledge", "justice", "truth"]

        self.current_desires = []

        self.current_aims = []

        

    def theorem_1(self):

        """Everyone wants happiness."""

        return True

    

    def theorem_2(self, wants_happiness, complete_happiness_possible):

        """It's irrational to accept incomplete happiness if complete happiness is possible."""

        if wants_happiness and complete_happiness_possible:

            return "irrational to accept incomplete happiness"

        return "not irrational to accept incomplete happiness"

    

    def theorem_3(self, desires, outcomes):

        """Unhappiness is caused by unmet desires."""

        unhappiness = 0

        for desire in desires:

            if desire not in outcomes:

                unhappiness += 1

        return unhappiness

    

    def theorem_4(self, desires):

        """Calculate probability of happiness based on control over desired things."""

        uncontrollable_desires = [d for d in desires if d in self.things["out_of_our_control"]]

        if not desires:

            return 1.0  # No desires means no chance of unhappiness

        if uncontrollable_desires:

            # Probability decreases exponentially with number of uncontrollable desires

            return max(0, 1 - 0.5**len(uncontrollable_desires))

        return 1.0  # All desires are controllable

    

    def theorem_5(self, desires_out_of_control):

        """Desiring things out of control is irrational if complete happiness is possible."""

        if desires_out_of_control and self.beliefs["complete_happiness_possible"]:

            return "irrational"

        return "not necessarily irrational"

    

    def theorem_6(self):

        """Only beliefs, will, and their entailments are in our control."""

        return self.things["in_our_control"]

    

    def theorem_7(self, belief_good, belief_evil):

        """Desires are caused by judgments about good and evil."""

        desires = []

        if belief_good:

            desires.append(belief_good)

        if belief_evil:

            desires.append(f"avoid_{belief_evil}")

        return desires

    

    def theorem_8(self):

        """Desires are in our control (because they follow from judgments)."""

        return "judgments" in self.theorem_6()

    

    def theorem_9(self):

        """Desiring externals is irrational."""

        desires_controllable = self.theorem_8()

        if desires_controllable and self.beliefs["complete_happiness_possible"]:

            return "desiring externals is irrational"

        return "premise failure"

    

    def theorem_10(self):

        """Only virtue is good, only vice is evil."""

        return {"good": ["virtue"], "evil": ["vice"]}

    

    def theorem_11(self):

        """Virtue and vice are in our control."""

        values = self.theorem_10()

        for category in values.values():

            for value in category:

                if value not in self.things["in_our_control"]:

                    return False

        return True

    

    def theorem_12(self):

        """Things not in our control (externals) are never good or evil."""

        externals = self.things["out_of_our_control"]

        values = self.theorem_10()

        

        for external in externals:

            if external in values["good"] or external in values["evil"]:

                return False

        return True

    

    def theorem_13(self):

        """Desiring externals is irrational as it involves false judgment."""

        if self.theorem_12():

            return "desiring externals involves false judgment"

        return "premise failure"

    

    def theorem_14(self):

        """Valuing only virtue leads to true judgment and immunity to unhappiness."""

        if self.theorem_10()["good"] == ["virtue"] and self.theorem_11():

            return "immunity to unhappiness"

        return "premise failure"

    

    def theorem_15(self):

        """True judgment that virtue is good creates desire for virtue."""

        if self.beliefs["virtue_is_good"]:

            return "desire for virtue"

        return "no desire for virtue"

    

    def theorem_16(self, desire, outcome):

        """Fulfilled desires yield positive feelings."""

        if desire and desire == outcome:

            return "positive feeling"

        return "no positive feeling"

    

    def theorem_17(self):

        """Correct judgment and will lead to appropriate positive feelings."""

        if self.theorem_15() == "desire for virtue" and "virtue" in self.things["in_our_control"]:

            return "appropriate positive feelings"

        return "no appropriate positive feelings"

    

    def theorem_18(self):

        """Some positive feelings don't result from judgments about value."""

        return ["taste of good food", "beautiful sunset", "pleasant sound"]

    

    def theorem_19(self):

        """Non-judgment positive feelings are not irrational."""

        natural_positives = self.theorem_18()

        return f"These are not irrational: {natural_positives}"

    

    def theorem_20(self):

        """The universe is governed by Nature/Providence/God."""

        return "universe is governed by providence"

    

    def theorem_21(self):

        """That which is governed by Providence is as it should be."""

        if self.theorem_20():

            return "world is as it should be"

        return "world may not be as it should be"

    

    def theorem_22(self):

        """Regarding the world as it should be creates positive feelings."""

        if self.theorem_21() == "world is as it should be":

            return "positive feelings from world-acceptance"

        return "no positive feelings from world-acceptance"

    

    def theorem_23(self):

        """The Stoic has three sources of positive feelings."""

        positive_sources = []

        

        if self.theorem_17() == "appropriate positive feelings":

            positive_sources.append("appreciation of virtue")

        

        positive_sources.append("physical pleasures")

        

        if self.theorem_22() == "positive feelings from world-acceptance":

            positive_sources.append("appreciation of world as it is")

            

        return positive_sources

    

    def theorem_24(self):

        """Acts of will must have content/aims."""

        return "acts of will require content"

    

    def theorem_25(self):

        """Some things are appropriate objects to aim at though not good."""

        return "appropriate aims exist"

    

    def theorem_26(self):

        """Appropriate aims include life, health, knowledge, etc."""

        return self.appropriate_aims

    

    def theorem_27(self):

        """Virtue is rational will, vice is irrational will."""

        return {"virtue": "rational will", "vice": "irrational will"}

    

    def theorem_28(self):

        """Acts aimed at external objects of desire are not virtuous."""

        externals = self.things["out_of_our_control"]

        return f"Pursuing these is not virtuous: {externals}"

    

    def theorem_29(self):

        """Virtue pursues appropriate aims, not objects of desire."""

        return {

            "virtuous_pursuit": self.appropriate_aims,

            "results_in": "positive feelings without unhappiness risk"

        }

    

    def complete_argument(self):

        """Tie all threads together to prove complete happiness is possible."""

        # First, establish that complete happiness is possible

        correct_judgment = {

            "virtue_is_only_good": True,

            "externals_neither_good_nor_evil": True

        }

        

        if self.theorem_8() and self.theorem_11() and self.theorem_12():

            self.beliefs["complete_happiness_possible"] = True

        

        positive_feelings = []

        if self.beliefs["complete_happiness_possible"]:

            positive_feelings = self.theorem_23()

        

        return {

            "complete_happiness_possible": self.beliefs["complete_happiness_possible"],

            "requires": "correct judgment",

            "leads_to": "virtuous action",

            "results_in": positive_feelings,

            "conclusion": "Complete happiness is in our control through correct judgment"

        }

    

    def apply_to_life(self, situation):

        """Apply Stoic principles to a real-life situation."""

        # Analyze the situation

        externals = [x for x in situation if x in self.things["out_of_our_control"]]

        controllables = [x for x in situation if x in self.things["in_our_control"]]

        appropriate_aims = [x for x in situation if x in self.appropriate_aims]

        

        response = {

            "focus_on": controllables + appropriate_aims,

            "be_indifferent_to": externals,

            "recognize_as_it_should_be": externals,

            "expected_outcome": "tranquility and appropriate positive feelings"

        }

        

        return response 


# Demonstration

stoic = CoreStoicism() 


# Test the complete argument

result = stoic.complete_argument()

print("Complete Stoic Argument:")

for key, value in result.items():

    print(f"{key}: {value}") 


# Apply to a life situation

print("\nApplying Stoicism to life situation:")

situation = ["wealth", "health", "beliefs", "will", "knowledge"]

application = stoic.apply_to_life(situation)

for key, value in application.items():

    print(f"{key}: {value}")

``` 


## Possible Uses for This Code: 


1. **Personal Development Application**: 

   - Build a Stoic mindset training app that helps users identify what's in their control vs. what isn't

   - Create daily exercises to practice Stoic principles in real-life situations

   - Develop a journaling system that applies Stoic analysis to personal experiences 


2. **Decision-Making Framework**:

   - Use as a structured approach to evaluate decisions based on Stoic principles

   - Implement as part of a larger decision support system that helps identify "appropriate aims" vs. externals

   - Create a tool for ethical reasoning that distinguishes between virtue and non-virtue based decisions 


3. **Educational Tool**:

   - Serve as an interactive lesson for philosophy students to understand Stoic reasoning

   - Build a simulator that shows consequences of different judgments and desires

   - Create visualizations of the logical structure of Stoic philosophy 


4. **Therapeutic Application**:

   - Support cognitive behavioral therapy approaches that align with Stoic principles

   - Help people reframe anxieties and frustrations by identifying what's in/out of their control

   - Provide structured exercises for developing emotional resilience 


5. **Research Platform**:

   - Allow formal testing of Stoic philosophical claims

   - Extend to compare with othe philosophical systems (Epicureanism, Buddhism, etc.)

   - Create simulated agents that follow Stoic principles to observe emergent behaviors 


6. **Daily Practice Guide**:

   - Generate Stoic meditations and reflections tailored to specific situations

   - Create a system for tracking progress in aligning desires with Stoic principles

   - Build a recommendation engine for Stoic practices based on personal challenges 


This code could be expanded with a user interface, more robust situation analysis, and practical exercises to make it a truly useful tool for applying Stoic philosophy to modern life.

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