Cognitive Distortions and False Value Judgments of External Events

 ChatGPT,

Please generate answers that depend on this Stoic doctrine: external events are never good or bad. So, a false value judgment is always a judgment that an external event, itself, is good or bad. So, relying on that Stoic doctrine solely, show how each of the ten most common cognitive distortions is based on false value judgments of external events.

"ChatGPT"

"Certainly! Drawing from the Stoic doctrine that external events are neither inherently good nor bad, we can examine how each of the ten most common cognitive distortions involves false value judgments about external events:

• All-or-Nothing Thinking: This distortion involves categorizing events as either entirely good or entirely bad, disregarding the nuanced nature of reality. By making extreme judgments about external events, individuals fail to recognize the inherent neutrality of these events according to Stoic philosophy.

• Overgeneralization: Overgeneralization occurs when individuals draw sweeping conclusions based on limited experiences. In this distortion, people may judge external events as universally negative or positive, failing to acknowledge the variability and complexity inherent in different situations, which Stoicism encourages us to recognize.

• Mental Filter: The mental filter distortion involves selectively focusing on negative aspects of a situation while disregarding the positive elements. By fixating on certain external events, individuals may assign exaggerated negative value to them, overlooking the neutral nature of these events according to Stoic principles.

• Disqualifying the Positive: Disqualifying the Positive distortion entails downplaying or dismissing positive aspects or experiences. In this case, individuals might devalue external events that could be seen as neutral from a Stoic perspective by focusing only on perceived negative aspects and failing to recognize any potential positive or neutral elements.

• Jumping to Conclusions: This distortion involves making assumptions without sufficient evidence. By hastily judging external events as either wholly positive or negative, individuals neglect the Stoic notion that events themselves are neutral, and it is our judgments that determine their value.

• Magnification and Minimization: In this distortion, individuals either magnify the negative aspects of external events or downplay the positive ones. Both tendencies involve false value judgments, as Stoicism teaches that events themselves hold no inherent goodness or badness, and it is our perception and evaluation that ascribe value.

• Emotional Reasoning: Emotional Reasoning occurs when individuals believe that their emotions reflect objective reality. By attributing inherent value to external events based solely on their emotional response, individuals disregard the Stoic principle that events are indifferent and that our value judgments shape our emotional reactions.

• "Should" Statements: "Should" Statements involve rigid expectations or rules about how events ought to be. Stoicism challenges this distortion by emphasizing that external events are indifferent and that our judgment of these events, rather than predetermined notions of how they should be, determines their significance.

• Labeling and Mislabeling: This distortion involves labeling oneself or others based on specific actions or traits. Stoicism suggests that events themselves are neutral, and assigning labels based solely on these events disregards the philosophical understanding that the inherent value lies in our judgment, not in external circumstances.

• Personalization: Personalization occurs when individuals take undue responsibility for external events or attribute events to their actions alone. Stoicism teaches that events are external and beyond our direct control, emphasizing the importance of focusing on our judgments and responses rather than falsely assuming complete responsibility for the value of events.


"By considering the Stoic doctrine that external events are neither inherently good nor bad, we can observe how each of the ten cognitive distortions involves false value judgments ascribing inherent goodness or badness to events rather than recognizing their inherent indifference. Stoic philosophy invites individuals to examine their judgments and perspectives, ultimately leading to greater emotional resilience and a more accurate understanding of the nature of external events" (ChatGPT).