## **HOW "MAKING CORRECT USE OF IMPRESSIONS" IS BASED ON THE CRUCIAL LOGIC**
Here's the logical foundation underlying each step:
## **THE FOUNDATIONAL CRUCIAL LOGIC:**
**Only what you completely control can have genuine value (good/bad) for you.**
---
## **a) Refuse assent to external-value impressions**
### **The Logical Chain:**
1. **Crucial Logic:** Only controlled things can be good/bad
2. **Externals are uncontrolled** (by definition)
3. **Therefore:** Externals cannot actually be good/bad
4. **Impressions claiming externals are good/bad are false**
5. **Application:** Refuse assent to these false impressions
### **Example:**
- **Impression:** "My job loss is terrible"
- **Crucial Logic Analysis:** Job = external = uncontrolled = cannot be genuinely bad
- **Correct Response:** Refuse assent to "job loss is terrible"
---
## **b) Refuse assent to inappropriate response impressions**
### **The Logical Chain:**
1. **Crucial Logic:** Only controlled things can be good/bad
2. **Your choices/responses are controlled**
3. **Therefore:** Your choices can be genuinely good/bad (appropriate/inappropriate)
4. **Impressions suggesting inappropriate responses are suggesting genuine badness**
5. **Application:** Refuse assent to impressions promoting inappropriate choices
### **Example:**
- **Impression:** "I should lash out angrily because someone insulted me"
- **Crucial Logic Analysis:** My response = controlled = can be genuinely bad if inappropriate
- **Correct Response:** Refuse assent to inappropriate response suggestion
---
## **c) Formulate true propositions about external value**
### **The Logical Chain:**
1. **Crucial Logic:** Only controlled things can be good/bad
2. **Active formulation of impressions is controlled**
3. **Therefore:** Creating correct impressions is genuinely good
4. **Correct impressions about externals state their indifference**
5. **Application:** Actively create impressions that assign indifference to externals
### **Example:**
- **Active Formulation:** "My health is neither good nor bad - it's indifferent"
- **Crucial Logic Analysis:** Creating this true impression = controlled = genuinely good
- **Correct Response:** Assent to this self-formulated truth
---
## **d) Formulate true action propositions about appropriate choices**
### **The Logical Chain:**
1. **Crucial Logic:** Only controlled things can be good/bad
2. **Your choices are controlled**
3. **Therefore:** Appropriate choices are genuinely good
4. **Formulating correct action plans is controlled**
5. **Application:** Create impressions identifying what choices would be appropriate
### **Example:**
- **Active Formulation:** "I should tell the truth to my boss - truth-telling is appropriate"
- **Crucial Logic Analysis:** Truth-telling choice = controlled = can be genuinely good
- **Correct Response:** Assent to this appropriate action plan
---
## **e) Assent to recognition of appropriate choices**
### **The Logical Chain:**
1. **Crucial Logic:** Only controlled things can be good/bad
2. **Making appropriate choices is controlled and genuinely good**
3. **Recognizing genuine good is itself good**
4. **Self-recognition creates proper self-assessment**
5. **Application:** When you choose appropriately, recognize it as genuinely good
### **Example:**
- **Recognition:** "I chose to respond kindly despite provocation - this was appropriate"
- **Crucial Logic Analysis:** Kind response = controlled = genuinely good = worth recognizing
- **Correct Response:** Assent to this accurate self-assessment
---
## **f) Character transformation through consistent appropriate choices**
### **The Logical Chain:**
1. **Crucial Logic:** Only controlled things can be good/bad
2. **Character development is controlled (through accumulated choices)**
3. **Therefore:** Character development is the most important good
4. **Consistent appropriate choices build virtuous character**
5. **Application:** Focus all effort on this controlled, genuinely valuable development
### **Example:**
- **Long-term Pattern:** Consistently choosing honesty despite external costs
- **Crucial Logic Analysis:** Character development = controlled = genuinely good = ultimate goal
- **Result:** Eventual settled disposition to choose appropriately (virtue)
---
## **THE UNIFIED LOGICAL FOUNDATION:**
### **Why Each Step Follows from the Crucial Logic:**
**Steps a-c:** Deal with **rejecting false value assignments**
- **Based on:** Externals cannot have genuine value (crucial logic)
**Steps d-e:** Deal with **embracing true value assignments**
- **Based on:** Controlled choices can have genuine value (crucial logic)
**Step f:** Deals with **the ultimate application**
- **Based on:** Character development is the highest controlled good (crucial logic)
## **THE COMPLETE LOGICAL STRUCTURE:**
### **The Crucial Logic provides the VALUE CRITERION for every impression:**
1. **Impression about externals?** → Check if it assigns value → If yes, refuse assent
2. **Impression about responses?** → Check if it promotes appropriate choice → Assent accordingly
3. **Self-formulated impression?** → Ensure it aligns with control boundaries → Assent to truth
4. **Action impression?** → Check if it identifies appropriate choice → Assent to appropriate
5. **Self-assessment impression?** → Check if it correctly recognizes controlled good → Assent to accurate recognition
6. **Character development?** → Ultimate goal because it's controlled and genuinely valuable
**Every step in "making correct use of impressions" is an application of the crucial logic: assign value only to what you control, refuse to assign value to what you don't control.**
**The crucial logic provides the rational foundation that makes each step logically necessary rather than arbitrary advice.**
No comments:
Post a Comment