PLCI v1.1 Conversion Text: Grant C. Sterling on Impressions, Assent, Training, and Character Development
PLCI v1.1 Conversion
Text: Grant C. Sterling on Impressions, Assent, Training, and Character Development
1. Subject and Scope
Subject:
The passage explains the Stoic structure of impression, assent, desire, emotion, action, training, character formation, and eudaimonia.
System classification:
Mixed system: psychological, causal, axiological, normative, practical, and developmental.
Central claim:
Everything decisive in Stoic ethical life depends on assent to impressions.
2. Predicate Key
Let:
- S = the agent/self
- I(x) = x is an impression
- R(S, x) = S receives x
- C(S, x) = S controls x
- A(S, x) = S assents to x
- ¬A(S, x) = S withholds assent from x
- T(x) = x is true
- Fls(x) = x is false
- Prop(x) = x is propositional
- Cog(x) = x is cognitive
- VC(x) = x has a value component
- Ext(x) = x concerns an external
- Good(x) = x is good
- Evil(x) = x is evil
- Des(S, x) = S desires x
- Emo(S, x) = S experiences emotion x
- Act(S, x) = S acts in way x
- Char(S) = S’s character
- Eud(S) = S has eudaimonia
- Virt(S) = S acts virtuously
- Joy(S) = S experiences joy
- O(P) = P is obligatory
- Causes(P, Q) = P causes Q
- Always(P) = P is persistently the case over time
- HP = hidden premise
3. Layered Propositions
A. Ontological Propositions
Oₙ1. R(S, I)
The agent receives impressions.
Oₙ2. Cog(I) ∧ Prop(I)
Impressions are cognitive and propositional.
Oₙ3. I(x) → Claims(x, World_is_certain_way)
An impression claims that the world is a certain way.
Oₙ4. Some impressions are value-neutral.
∃x [I(x) ∧ ¬VC(x)]
Oₙ5. Some impressions have a value component.
∃x [I(x) ∧ VC(x)]
B. Axiological Propositions
Aₓ1. Ext(x) → ¬Good(x) ∧ ¬Evil(x)
Externals are neither good nor evil.
Aₓ2. I(x) ∧ Depicts(x, Ext_as_Good_or_Evil) → Fls(x)
Any impression depicting an external as good or evil is false.
Aₓ3. Virtuous action is genuinely good.
Virt(Act(S, x)) → Good(Act(S, x))
Aₓ4. Correct assent is necessary for eudaimonia.
Eud(S) → CorrectAssent(S)
C. Epistemic Propositions
Eₚ1. A(S, I) → Believes(S, T(I))
To assent to an impression is to accept it as true.
Eₚ2. ¬A(S, I) → DoesNotAccept(S, T(I))
To withhold assent is to refuse to accept the impression as true.
Eₚ3. RejectAsFalse(S, I) → [¬A(S, I) ∧ Formulates(S, Opposite(I)) ∧ A(S, Opposite(I))]
Rejecting an impression as false involves withholding assent and assenting to an opposing proposition.
Eₚ4. Assent is cognitive but often not explicit.
A(S, I) → Cog(A(S, I))
A(S, I) ↛ NecessarilyExplicit(A(S, I))
Eₚ5. Apparent immediacy from impression to belief does not eliminate assent.
SeemsDirect(I, Belief) → ¬NoAssent
D. Causal Propositions
Cₐ1. ¬A(S, I) → ¬Causes(I, Emotion_or_Action)
If assent is withheld, the impression produces no emotion or action.
Cₐ2. [A(S, I) ∧ VC(I)] → Causes(A(S, I), Des(S, x))
Assent to a value-impression causes desire.
Cₐ3. [A(S, I) ∧ VC(I) ∧ DepictsAlreadyOccurred(I)] → Causes(A(S, I), Emo(S, x))
Assent to a value-impression about something already occurred causes emotion.
Cₐ4. [A(S, I₁) ∧ Causes(I₁, I₂) ∧ A(S, I₂)] → Causes(A(S, I₂), Act(S, x))
Assent to a further practical impression produces action.
Cₐ5. A(S, FalseValueImpression) → Strengthens(FutureFalseValueImpressions)
Assenting to a false value-impression makes similar future impressions stronger and more common.
Cₐ6. ¬A(S, FalseValueImpression) → Weakens(FutureFalseValueImpressions)
Withholding assent weakens similar future impressions.
Cₐ7. CarefulAssentOverTime(S) → Changes(Char(S))
Careful assent over time changes character.
Cₐ8. ChangedCharacter(S) → FewerFalseValueImpressions(S)
Character training reduces false value-impressions.
E. Psychological Propositions
Pₛ1. Assent to “good external will occur” produces desire for it.
A(S, Impression(Good(ExtFuture))) → Des(S, ExtFuture)
Pₛ2. Assent to “bad external will occur” produces desire that it not occur.
A(S, Impression(Evil(ExtFuture))) → Des(S, ¬ExtFuture)
Pₛ3. Assent to “good external has occurred” produces positive emotion.
A(S, Impression(Good(ExtPast))) → PositiveEmotion(S)
Pₛ4. Assent to “bad external has occurred” produces negative emotion.
A(S, Impression(Evil(ExtPast))) → NegativeEmotion(S)
Pₛ5. False value-assent can lead to anger, fear, or aggressive action.
A(S, FalseValueImpression) → Possible(Anger(S) ∨ Fear(S) ∨ AggressiveAction(S))
F. Normative Propositions
Nₒ1. O(¬A(S, I) where Depicts(I, Ext_as_Good_or_Evil))
One ought not assent to impressions that depict externals as good or evil.
Nₒ2. O(¬A(S, I) where Depicts(I, ImmoralResponse_as_Appropriate))
If the first failure occurs, one ought not assent to later impressions depicting immoral responses as appropriate.
Nₒ3. O(Formulates(S, TruePropositions_about_Indifference_of_Externals))
One ought consciously formulate true propositions about the lack of value in externals.
Nₒ4. O(Formulates(S, TrueActionPropositions))
One ought consciously formulate true propositions about correct action.
Nₒ5. O(A(S, TrueActionProposition))
One ought assent to true action propositions.
Nₒ6. O(A(S, Proposition(ActedWell)) after CorrectAction(S))
When one acts correctly, one ought assent to the proposition that one has done a good thing.
G. Practical Propositions
Pᵣ1. Attend(PreferredIndifferents ∧ DispreferredIndifferents ∧ RoleDuties) → Recognize(CorrectAction)
By attending to indifferents and role duties, one can recognize the correct action.
Pᵣ2. Recognize(CorrectAction) → BringToMind(CorrectActionProposition)
Recognized correct action should be consciously brought to mind.
Pᵣ3. BringToMind(CorrectActionProposition) → A(S, CorrectActionProposition)
The agent should assent to the correct action proposition.
Pᵣ4. A(S, CorrectActionProposition) → Act(S, Correctly)
Assent to correct action propositions leads to correct action.
H. Social / Relational Propositions
Sᵣ1. Role(S, Work) → Duty(S, TruthfulReporting)
If one has a work role, one has duties such as truthful reporting.
Sᵣ2. BossFires(S) → Ext(Job)
Being fired is an external.
Sᵣ3. ActionsOfWife → Ext(ActionsOfWife)
Another person’s sexual conduct is external to the agent’s moral purpose.
Sᵣ4. CriticismByOthers → Ext(CriticismByOthers)
Criticism by others is external.
I. Modal Propositions
Mₒ1. □[A(S, I) ∨ ¬A(S, I)]
For any impression, the agent either assents or withholds assent.
Mₒ2. □[C(S, A(S, I))]
Assent is necessarily within the agent’s control.
Mₒ3. □[Eud(S) → CorrectAssent(S)]
Correct assent is necessary for eudaimonia.
Mₒ4. □[WrongAssent(S) → ¬Eud(S)]
A wrong assent necessarily prevents eudaimonia.
J. Temporal Propositions
Tₑ1. OverTime(CarefulAssent(S)) → CharacterChange(S)
Careful assent alters character over time.
Tₑ2. Repeated(A(S, FalseValueImpression)) → StrongerFutureFalseValueImpressions
Repeated false assent strengthens future false impressions.
Tₑ3. Repeated(¬A(S, FalseValueImpression)) → WeakerFutureFalseValueImpressions
Repeated refusal weakens future false impressions.
Tₑ4. Sage(S) → Previously(Always(CarefulAssent(S)))
The sage is one whose past discipline of assent has transformed future impressions.
Tₑ5. Eudaimonia includes stabilized routine correctness.
Eud(S) → Routine(CorrectAssent ∧ CorrectAction ∧ Joy)
4. Hidden Premises
HP1. If an impression depicts an external as good or evil, it misrepresents value.
Ext(x) → ¬Good(x) ∧ ¬Evil(x)
HP2. Desire and emotion follow from assent, not from the bare impression itself.
[Des(S, x) ∨ Emo(S, x)] → Prior(A(S, I))
HP3. Correct action requires assent to a correct practical proposition.
CorrectAction(S) → A(S, TrueActionProposition)
HP4. Character is shaped by repeated acts of assent.
RepeatedAssentPattern(S) → CharacterFormation(S)
HP5. Eudaimonia requires both correct value judgments and correct action.
Eud(S) → [CorrectValueAssent(S) ∧ VirtuousAction(S)]
HP6. Joy is the appropriate affective consequence of assenting to genuinely virtuous action.
A(S, Proposition(VirtuousActionDone)) → Joy(S)
5. Inferential Chain
I1 (T):
I(x) → [Cog(x) ∧ Prop(x)]
Impressions are cognitive and propositional.
I2 (T):
C(S, A(S, I))
Assent is in the agent’s control.
I3 (D):
[I(x) ∧ VC(x) ∧ A(S, x)] → Causes(A(S, x), Desire_or_Emotion)
Assent to value-impressions produces desire or emotion.
I4 (D):
¬A(S, I) → ¬Emotion(S) ∧ ¬Action(S)
Without assent, no emotion or action follows.
I5 (D):
[A(S, FalseValueImpression) ∧ Repeated(A)] → StrongerFutureFalseValueImpressions
Repeated false assent strengthens future false impressions.
I6 (D):
[¬A(S, FalseValueImpression) ∧ Repeated(¬A)] → WeakerFutureFalseValueImpressions
Repeated refusal weakens them.
I7 (D):
[CarefulAssentOverTime(S)] → VirtuousCharacter(S)
Training assent produces virtuous character.
I8 (T):
Everything critical to the best life is contained in assent.
CriticalToBestLife(x) → TiedToAssent(x)
I9 (D):
[CorrectAssent(S)] → Eud(S)
Getting assents right guarantees eudaimonia.
I10 (T):
WrongAssent(S) → ¬Eud(S)
One wrong assent prevents eudaimonia.
I11 (D):
[CorrectValueAssent(S) ∧ CorrectActionAssent(S) ∧ Joy(S)] → Eud(S)
Eudaimonia consists in good feelings combined with virtuous actions.
6. Error Conditions
E1. Error(S) ↔ A(S, Impression(Ext_as_Good_or_Evil))
The primary error is assenting to an impression that presents externals as good or evil.
E2. SecondaryError(S) ↔ A(S, Impression(ImmoralResponse_as_Appropriate))
A secondary error is assenting to immoral response-impressions after a false value-impression.
E3. WrongAssent(S) → ¬Eud(S)
A wrong assent prevents eudaimonia.
E4. RepeatedWrongAssent(S) → WorseCharacter(S)
Repeated wrong assent deforms character.
E5. FailureToFormulateTrueCounterProposition(S) → GreaterVulnerabilityToFalseImpression(S)
Failure to formulate true alternatives leaves the agent vulnerable to false impressions.
7. Compressed Logical Core
C1. Impressions are cognitive, propositional claims about the world.
C2. Impressions themselves are not directly under our control, but assent is.
C3. Desire, emotion, and action arise from assent to impressions.
C4. False value-impressions depict externals as good or evil.
C5. Externals are neither good nor evil.
C6. Therefore, one must not assent to impressions that depict externals as good or evil.
C7. If one does assent wrongly, one must not assent to further immoral action-impressions.
C8. One must consciously formulate true value propositions and true action propositions.
C9. Repeated assent patterns form character.
C10. Correct assent over time produces virtuous character and eudaimonia.
C11. Wrong assent prevents eudaimonia.
8. Final PLCI Assessment
This passage is not merely an explanation of Stoic psychology. It is a complete causal-normative training system.
Its governing structure is:
Impression → Assent → Desire/Emotion/Action → Character → Eudaimonia or Failure
The decisive point is this:
The impression is not ethically decisive.
The assent is ethically decisive.
Under PLCI v1.1, Sterling’s argument is therefore best classified as:
A mixed Stoic logic engine of assent, affect, action, training, character formation, and eudaimonia.
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