Supporting Each Step Directly with Sterling's Framework

 # Supporting Each Step Directly with Sterling's Framework

Complete Sterling Logical Language (SLL) System v. 16

## **STEP 1: FOUNDATION (Only virtue good, don't desire externals)**

### **Direct Sterling Support:**

#### **†A6: Only virtue is good, only vice is evil**

```

†A6: ∀x (Good(x) ↔ Virtue(x)) ∧ ∀x (Evil(x) ↔ Vice(x))

"The only thing actually good is virtue, the only thing actually evil is vice"

```

#### **Sterling's Th 4 + Th 5:**

- **"If you desire something out of your control, you will be subject to possible unhappiness"**

- **"Desiring things out of your control is irrational"**

#### **Sterling's Derived Theorem T6:**

```

⊢T6: ∀x,y (Desires(x,y) ∧ ¬Controlled(y) ⊃ FalseJudgment(x))

"Desiring externals involves false judgment"

```

#### **Sterling's Authenticity Criterion †SC4:**

**"No externals are ever good or evil"**

**Step 1 Connection**: Directly implements Sterling's A6 + prohibits external desires per T6.

---

## **STEP 2: CONTROL TEST ("Is this in my control or not?")**

### **Direct Sterling Support:**

#### **†A4: Sterling's Control Dichotomy**

```

†A4: ∀x (Controlled(x) ↔ (Belief(x) ∨ Will(x) ∨ EntailedBy(x, belief_or_will)))

"The only things in our control are our beliefs and will, and anything entailed by our beliefs and will"

```

#### **Sterling's Th 6:**

**"The only things in our control are our beliefs and will, and anything entailed by our beliefs and will"**

#### **Sterling's Practical Application:**

From Sterling's crisis protocols - systematic assessment of what can/cannot be influenced.

**Step 2 Connection**: Direct implementation of Sterling's fundamental control dichotomy (A4).

---

## **STEP 3: PRECISION CONTROL (Beliefs, judgments, choices)**

### **Direct Sterling Support:**

#### **Sterling's Specific Identification in †A4:**

- **Belief(x)** - Mental assents and cognitive commitments

- **Will(x)** - Choices and decisions

- **EntailedBy(x, belief_or_will)** - Consequences of beliefs and choices

#### **Sterling's Definition †D1:**

```

†D1: ∀x,i (Judgment(x,i) ↔ Assent(x,i))

"A 'judgment' is nothing more than another name for 'an assent to an impression'"

```

#### **Sterling's Derived Theorem T3:**

```

⊢T3: ∀x,y Controlled(Desires(x,y))

"Desires are in our control" [from A4+A5]

```

**Step 3 Connection**: Specifies exactly what Sterling means by "controlled" in A4 - beliefs, judgments (assents), and choices.

---

## **STEP 4: EMOTION CONNECTION (Emotions from judgments, not events)**

### **Direct Sterling Support:**

#### **†A5: Sterling's Lynchpin Axiom**

```

†A5: ∀x,y (Desires(x,y) ↔ (Judges(x,y,good) ∨ Judges(x,y,evil)))

"Desires are caused by beliefs (judgments) about good and evil"

```

#### **Sterling's Definition †D4:**

```

†D4: ∀x,j,f (FalseJudgment(x,j) ⊃ (Feeling(x,f) ∧ Pathos(x,f)))

"False judgement will give rise to a feeling, which will be a pathos"

```

#### **Sterling's Authenticity Criterion †SC1:**

**"Emotions are caused by value beliefs"**

#### **Sterling's Explicit Statement:**

From Sterling's 2015 response: **"It is not the things themselves that disturb men, but their judgements about these things"** (citing Epictetus)

**Step 4 Connection**: Direct implementation of Sterling's A5 + D4 - emotions come from value judgments, not external events.

---

## **STEP 5: REAL-TIME CORRECTION (CATCH-RECOGNIZE-REPLACE)**

### **Direct Sterling Support:**

#### **Sterling's Therapeutic Framework:**

##### **CATCH: Judgment Identification**

From Sterling's psychological mechanism analysis - ability to identify false external value judgments as they arise.

##### **RECOGNIZE: False Judgment Classification**

```

†D3: ∀i (FalseJudgment(i) ↔ (HasValueComponent(i) ∧ External(content(i))))

"Value judgments about externals are always false"

```

##### **REPLACE: Correction Protocol**

From Sterling's integration theorem:

```

⊢T7: ∀x (Values(x,virtue_only) ⊃ (JudgesTruly(x) ∧ ¬Unhappy(x)))

"If we value only virtue, we will judge truly and be immune to unhappiness"

```

#### **Sterling's Character Development Framework:**

```

⊢T20: ∀x,i (¬Assent(x,i) ⊃ (LessFrequent(future_impressions_like(i)) ∧ Weaker(future_impressions_like(i))))

⊢T21: ∀x,i (Assent(x,i) ⊃ (MoreFrequent(future_impressions_like(i)) ∧ Stronger(future_impressions_like(i))))

"Character-impression feedback loops"

```

**Step 5 Connection**: Implements Sterling's complete therapeutic cycle - identify false judgments (D3), refuse assent (T20), correct with true judgments (T7).

---

## **THE COMPLETE STERLING FRAMEWORK INTEGRATION:**

### **How All Steps Connect to Sterling's Core System:**

#### **Step 1** = **†A6** (virtue-only value) + **T6** (no external desires)

#### **Step 2** = **†A4** (control dichotomy) applied systematically  

#### **Step 3** = **†A4** specified precisely (beliefs, will, entailments)

#### **Step 4** = **†A5** (judgment-emotion connection) + **†D4** (pathos mechanism)

#### **Step 5** = **†D3** (false judgment ID) + **T7** (correction) + **T20-T21** (character development)

### **The System's Sterling Authenticity:**

Every step is **directly derived** from Sterling's formal axioms and definitions. The 5-step system is not an interpretation of Sterling - **it's Sterling's framework operationalized.**

### **Sterling's Own Words Supporting This Approach:**

From Sterling's "Core Stoicism": **"If one denies that emotions or desires are the result of false judgments [A5], then 8, 9, 13, 14, 28, and 29 all collapse."**

**The 5-step system preserves Sterling's lynchpin (A5) and systematically applies it through practical protocols.**

### **Conclusion:**

**The 5-step system IS Sterling's framework** - just organized for immediate practical application rather than academic analysis. Every step has direct textual support from Sterling's own axioms, theorems, and definitions.