# STERLING-MODE: ENCHIRIDION 5 - JUDGMENTS CAUSE DISTURBANCE

## **COMPREHENSIVE HERMENEUTIC COMMENTARY**

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### **PART 1: TEXT PRESENTATION**

**George Long's Translation** (Perseus):

> "Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions about the things: for example, death is nothing terrible, for if it were, it would have seemed so to Socrates; for the opinion about death, that it is terrible, is the terrible thing. When then we are impeded or disturbed or grieved, let us never blame others, but ourselves, that is, our opinions. It is the act of an ill-instructed man to blame others for his own bad condition; it is the act of one who has begun to be instructed, to lay the blame on himself; and of one whose instruction is completed, neither to blame another, nor himself."

**Critical Greek Terms**:

- **ταράσσω** (tarassō) = disturb, trouble, agitate

- **πράγματα** (pragmata) = things, events, facts

- **δόγματα** (dogmata) = opinions, judgments, beliefs, doctrines

- **δεινόν** (deinon) = terrible, fearful, dreadful

- **ὑπόληψις** (hypolepsis) = opinion, conception (same as δόγμα here)

- **ἐμποδίζω** (empodizō) = impeded, hindered

- **λυπέω** (lypeō) = grieved, pained, distressed

- **ἀπαίδευτος** (apaideutos) = ill-instructed, uneducated

- **παιδεύω** (paideuō) = instructed, educated, trained

**Key Structural Elements**:

- "Not... but" = οὐχ... ἀλλά (ouch... alla) - strong contrast

- "The opinion... is the terrible thing" = τὸ δόγμα... τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ δεινόν (to dogma... touto esti to deinon) - emphatic identification

- "Never... but" = μηδέποτε... ἀλλά (mēdepote... alla) - absolute prohibition + correction

- Three stages of instruction: (1) blame others, (2) blame self, (3) blame neither

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### **PART 2: INITIAL UNDERSTANDING (First Hermeneutic Pass)**

**What the Passage Says Plainly**:

**The Core Principle**:

- Events don't disturb us

- Our **opinions about** events disturb us

- Example: Death itself isn't terrible

- The **belief** that death is terrible = what's terrible

**The Proof**:

- If death were inherently terrible, Socrates would have found it so

- Socrates didn't find death terrible (faced it calmly)

- Therefore: Death not inherently terrible

- What's terrible: **judging** death as terrible

**The Application**:

- When disturbed, impeded, or grieved

- Never blame external things or other people

- Blame our **opinions** (what we believe about things)

**The Three Stages**:

1. **Uneducated**: Blames others for his problems

2. **Beginning student**: Blames himself

3. **Completed instruction**: Blames neither others nor himself

**Surface Meaning for Beginners**:

"Your problems aren't caused by what happens to you but by how you think about what happens. Death isn't really terrible - thinking it's terrible is what's terrible. When upset, don't blame other people or events; examine your own thinking. As you get better at Stoicism, you'll eventually stop blaming anyone, even yourself."

**Common First Reaction**:

"This is cognitive therapy - change your thinking, change your feelings. Makes sense. And there's a progression from blaming others to self-awareness to complete wisdom."

**But this reading, while correct, misses the systematic depth and the radical nature of the claim.**

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### **PART 3: SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS (Part → Whole)**

#### **Connection to Sterling's System**

**This Passage Is THE CORE STOIC CLAIM**

**Sterling Excerpt 1** (Most Basic Statement):

"Pared to their most basic level, the Stoics say:

1) Emotions are bad.

2) Emotions are caused by false value judgments.

3) Ergo, if we change those false value judgments, the bad emotions will go away."

**CE 5 IS THIS EXACTLY**:

- "Men are disturbed... by the opinions about the things" = (2) emotions caused by judgments

- "The opinion... is the terrible thing" = judgments are the problem, not things

- "Let us never blame others, but... our opinions" = (3) change judgments, eliminate disturbance

**Sterling Excerpt 4** (Complete Statement):

"a) Emotions are caused by value beliefs (beliefs about what things are good or evil).

...

e) All beliefs that externals have value are, hence, false.

f) All feelings that result from false value beliefs are, therefore, pathological and should be eliminated..."

**CE 5 Establishes Point (a)**:

- Emotions (disturbed, grieved) **caused by** beliefs (opinions about things)

- Not caused by things themselves (death itself)

- **Causal claim**: Beliefs → emotions

**Sterling Excerpt 9, Section 2, Prop 2**:

"All human unhappiness is caused by having a desire or emotional commitment to some outcome, and then that outcome does not result."

**Excerpt 9, Section 3, Prop 9**:

"Emotion ↔ Belief(Value(Externals))"

**CE 5 Is Textual Basis**:

- "Men are disturbed... by opinions" = Emotion ↔ Belief

- "Death is nothing terrible... the opinion... is the terrible thing" = Belief(Value(Death)) causes disturbance

- **Biconditional** (↔): Disturbed **if and only if** false opinion about externals

**32-Prop LSSE Connections**:

**Prop 4**: "Emotions (pathē) are false judgments about externals, which are not under our control and carry no inherent value"

- **CE 5 establishes this**: "opinion about death, that it is terrible, is the terrible thing"

- Death = external; opinion = false judgment; disturbance = pathē

**Prop 7**: "All externals are indifferent: they are neither good nor bad in themselves."

- **CE 5's example**: Death = not terrible (external = indifferent)

- "If it were [terrible], it would have seemed so to Socrates" (proof death not inherently terrible)

**Prop 14**: "Desire and aversion misapplied to externals are the root of suffering."

- **CE 5 explains mechanism**: Opinion (judgment) about external → disturbance

- False value belief about external → emotional suffering

**Prop 16**: "Correct judgment about impressions eliminates pathē and restores peace (ataraxia)."

- **CE 5 implies**: If opinions cause disturbance, correct opinions eliminate disturbance

- "Let us... blame... our opinions" = recognize source, change opinions → restore peace

**Prop 22**: "All blame, accusation, and complaint arise from false beliefs about good and evil."

- **CE 5 teaches explicitly**: "Never blame others... blame... our opinions"

- Blaming = arising from false belief that other caused your problem (actually your opinion caused it)

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#### **The Emotion Theory (Complete Statement)**

**CE 5 Provides the Complete Stoic Psychology**:

**The Chain**:

1. **Event** occurs (external): Death, insult, loss, obstacle

2. **Impression** arises (cognitive): "Death has occurred" or "I've been insulted"

3. **Opinion/Judgment** added (value): "This is terrible/evil" or "This is good"

4. **Emotion** results (pathē): Grief, anger, fear, disappointment

5. **Disturbance** follows (suffering): Ongoing emotional turmoil

**Where Control Is**:

- **Steps 1-2**: Not in our control (events and impressions happen)

- **Step 3**: **IN OUR CONTROL** (we assent or don't assent to value judgment)

- **Steps 4-5**: **Result from Step 3** (emotions caused by our judgments)

**CE 5's Claim**:

- **Not Step 1** (event) that disturbs

- **But Step 3** (our judgment about event) that disturbs

**Example - Death**:

- **Step 1**: Death occurs (external event)

- **Step 2**: Impression arises: "Death has happened"

- **Step 3**: **Two possible opinions**:

  - False: "Death is terrible" (value judgment: death = evil)

  - True: "Death is indifferent" (accurate: death = external = neither good nor evil)

- **Step 4**: **Two possible results**:

  - False judgment → Grief (pathē - false-judgment-based emotion)

  - True judgment → No grief (maybe propatheitai - initial feeling, but no pathē)

- **Step 5**: **Two outcomes**:

  - False judgment → Disturbed, suffering persists

  - True judgment → Undisturbed, peace maintained

**The Socrates Proof**:

- Socrates faced death

- Socrates was **not disturbed** by death (historical fact)

- **If** death were inherently terrible, **then** Socrates would have been disturbed

- **But** Socrates was not disturbed

- **Therefore** death is not inherently terrible

- **Therefore** disturbance about death comes from **opinion** (judgment that death is terrible), not from death itself

---

#### **Sterling's Six Commitments Operative**

**1. Substance Dualism** (Implicit):

- **Opinions** (internal, mental) distinct from **things** (external, material)

- Death (external - body ceases) vs. Opinion about death (internal - judgment)

- Can change opinion (internal) regardless of external fact (death)

**2. Metaphysical Libertarianism** (Critical):

- **We control our opinions** (Step 3 above)

- Not determined by events (Step 1) to have certain opinions

- Socrates **could** have judged death terrible (was possible)

- He **chose** not to (libertarian free will)

- We likewise **can** choose our judgments (not determined by externals)

**3. Ethical Intuitionism** (Foundational):

- "Death is nothing terrible" = **grasped by reason**

- Not derived from polling people's feelings

- Not empirical observation

- **Self-evident** to properly functioning reason (as Socrates demonstrated)

- We **intuit** that externals are indifferent

**4. Moral Realism** (Explicit):

- "Death is nothing terrible" = **objective fact**

- Not "death seems not terrible to some people"

- But "death **is** not terrible" (reality)

- "The opinion... is the terrible thing" = **objectively false** opinion

- Truth/falsity **correspond to reality**

**5. Foundationalism** (Structural):

- CE 5 **summarizes** CE 1-4 (all built to this conclusion)

- First principles (dichotomy CE 1) → This conclusion (opinions cause disturbance)

- Self-evident axiom: Only our judgments can disturb us (externals can't)

**6. Correspondence Theory** (Explicit):

- Opinion "death is terrible" = **false** (doesn't correspond to reality - death is external = indifferent)

- Opinion "death is indifferent" = **true** (corresponds to reality)

- **False** opinion causes disturbance; **true** opinion prevents disturbance

---

### **PART 4: DEEP READING (Whole → Part)**

#### **What This Passage Actually Means**

**Not**: "Try to think more positively about bad things"

**But**: "Recognize that what you call 'bad things' are only bad because you judge them so"

**Not**: "Things aren't as bad as you think"

**But**: "Things aren't bad **at all** - only your judgment makes them seem bad"

---

#### **The Radical Claim**

> "Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions about the things"

**How Radical This Is**:

**Common sense view**:

- Bad things happen (death, loss, insult)

- These bad things **cause** disturbance

- We're disturbed **by** the events themselves

- Our feelings are **reactions to** reality

**Stoic view** (CE 5):

- Events happen (death, loss, insult)

- Events are **neutral** (neither good nor bad)

- We **judge** them as bad (add value judgment)

- This **judgment** causes disturbance

- Not events but **our interpretation** disturbs us

**The Shocking Implication**:

- **Nothing external** can disturb you

- **Only you** can disturb yourself (by your own judgments)

- If disturbed, it's **entirely your responsibility** (not others', not events')

- You are **creating** your own suffering (through false judgments)

**Why This Seems Wrong** (initially):

- "You're saying death isn't bad? That's obviously wrong!"

- "You're saying getting robbed shouldn't upset me? That's absurd!"

- "You're blaming victims for their emotional pain? That's cruel!"

**But CE 5 Isn't Saying**:

- Not: "Death doesn't matter" (it's a preferred indifferent - we appropriately avoid it when possible)

- Not: "Don't do anything about robbery" (appropriately pursue recovery, justice)

- Not: "You're bad for feeling upset" (you're mistaken in judgment, not morally bad for being mistaken)

**CE 5 IS Saying**:

- Death = external → indifferent → **not evil**

- Robbery = external → indifferent → **not evil**

- Your **judgment** "this is evil" = **false**

- **False judgment** → disturbance (pathē)

- **True judgment** "this is indifferent" → no disturbance

---

#### **The Death Example (Detailed Analysis)**

> "For example, death is nothing terrible, for if it were, it would have seemed so to Socrates"

**Why Death Is the Perfect Example**:

**1. Universal Fear**:

- Almost everyone fears death (common human experience)

- If anything seems **obviously** terrible, it's death

- Perfect test case: If even death isn't terrible, **nothing** external is

**2. Socrates as Proof**:

- Historical figure (not hypothetical)

- Famous for calm death (drank hemlock peacefully)

- Spent last hours philosophizing (Phaedo)

- **Demonstrated** in practice that death needn't disturb

**3. The Logical Argument**:

**Premise 1**: If X is inherently terrible, then anyone with properly functioning reason will find X terrible

- (If something is **objectively** terrible, reason **grasps** this truth)

**Premise 2**: Socrates had properly functioning reason (best exemplar of reason)

**Premise 3**: Socrates did not find death terrible

**Conclusion**: Therefore, death is not inherently terrible

**The Alternative Explanations** (and why they fail):

**Could Socrates have been wrong?**

- If so, then reason can't grasp truth (skepticism)

- But Stoics (and Epictetus) reject skepticism

- Socrates = exemplar **because** his reason functioned best

**Could Socrates have been suppressing fear?**

- No evidence of this (historical accounts show genuine calm)

- His arguments in Phaedo show **conviction**, not suppression

- Stoic distinction: propatheitai (might occur) vs. pathē (false-judgment-based) - Socrates had no pathē

**Could death be terrible for others but not Socrates?**

- This contradicts moral realism

- Either death **is** terrible (objective) or **isn't** (objective)

- Can't be terrible-for-some, not-for-others (that's relativism)

- Stoics claim: Death **is not** terrible (objective fact)

> "For the opinion about death, that it is terrible, is the terrible thing."

**The Reversal**:

- **What people think**: Death itself is terrible

- **What's actually true**: The **belief** that death is terrible is what's terrible

**Why the belief is terrible**:

- **Not** morally evil (having false belief doesn't make you bad person)

- But **practically terrible** (it causes suffering)

- The belief → fear, grief, disturbance (pathē)

- **The belief is the problem**, not death

**What This Means**:

- If you **believe** death is terrible → you will fear it, grieve at others' deaths, be disturbed

- If you **believe** death is indifferent → you won't fear it, won't grieve excessively, won't be disturbed

- **Same external** (death) → **different beliefs** → **different results**

- Therefore: **Belief** (not death) is the operative cause

---

#### **The Application**

> "When then we are impeded or disturbed or grieved, let us never blame others, but ourselves, that is, our opinions."

**Three Types of Disturbance**:

**1. Impeded** (ἐμποδίζω):

- Blocked, hindered, prevented from achieving goal

- Example: Can't get job you wanted, project fails

- **Common response**: Blame circumstances, other people, bad luck

- **Stoic response**: Examine your judgment (did you judge outcome as good? False - it's external)

**2. Disturbed** (ταράσσω):

- Agitated, thrown into confusion, emotionally disordered

- Example: Anxious, fearful, upset

- **Common response**: "This situation is terrible" (blame external)

- **Stoic response**: Your judgment "situation is terrible" causes disturbance (blame opinion)

**3. Grieved** (λυπέω):

- Saddened, pained, distressed

- Example: Loss, disappointment, rejection

- **Common response**: "What happened is sad" (blame event)

- **Stoic response**: Your judgment "loss is evil" causes grief (blame opinion)

**"Never blame others"**:

- Others' actions = external (not in your control)

- Others can't **cause** your disturbance (only your judgments can)

- If others insult you: **Their words** (external) don't disturb you; **your judgment** "insult is terrible" disturbs you

- **Radical responsibility**: Your disturbance is always your responsibility (your judgment)

**"But ourselves, that is, our opinions"**:

- Not blaming yourself **as person** (you're not bad for being disturbed)

- But recognizing **your opinion** as cause (false judgment created disturbance)

- **Precision**: The **opinion** is the problem (changeable), not you as a whole

- This is **empowering**: If your opinion causes it, you can change opinion → eliminate disturbance

---

#### **The Three Stages of Progress**

> "It is the act of an ill-instructed man to blame others for his own bad condition; it is the act of one who has begun to be instructed, to lay the blame on himself; and of one whose instruction is completed, neither to blame another, nor himself."

**Stage 1 - Uneducated** (ἀπαίδευτος):

- Blames others/externals for problems

- "My boss is terrible" (blames boss for unhappiness)

- "This situation is awful" (blames circumstances)

- **Error**: Thinks externals cause his disturbance

- **Still believes**: Externals are good/evil

- **Result**: Powerless (can't control externals, so can't control happiness)

**Stage 2 - Beginning Instruction**:

- Blames himself for problems

- "I shouldn't have trusted that person" (blames own choices)

- "I failed to achieve my goal" (blames own inadequacy)

- **Progress**: Recognizes internal locus of control

- **But error**: Still judges externals as good/evil (just blames self for not getting "good" external)

- **Result**: Some power (can change self) but still suffering (from false value judgments)

**Stage 3 - Completed Instruction**:

- Blames neither others nor self

- Recognizes: Externals are indifferent (neither good nor evil)

- Recognizes: Own disturbance came from false judgment, not from moral failing

- **No blame needed**: Just correct the false judgment

- **Understanding**: "I was mistaken to judge X as evil; X is indifferent" (simple correction, no blame)

- **Result**: Full power (change judgment) + no suffering (no false judgments) + no guilt (no self-blame)

**Why Stage 3 Doesn't Blame Self**:

**Not**: "I'm bad for being disturbed" (moral self-blame)

**But**: "I made an error in judgment" (cognitive correction)

**Analogy**:

- Math student gets wrong answer

- **Stage 1**: "The test was unfair!" (blames external)

- **Stage 2**: "I'm stupid at math!" (blames self as person)

- **Stage 3**: "I made an error in calculation; let me correct it" (identifies error, fixes it, no blame)

**Stage 3 Stoic**:

- Disturbed by event

- Recognizes: "I judged event as evil (error); event is actually indifferent (truth)"

- Corrects judgment

- Disturbance dissolves (no pathē without false judgment)

- **No blame**: Just correction (like fixing math error)

---

### **PART 5: HERMENEUTIC CIRCLE**

#### **How Understanding Deepens Through Practice**

**First Reading** (Beginner):

- "My thoughts cause my feelings, not events. Makes sense - cognitive therapy!"

- **Understanding**: Surface psychological principle

- **Application**: "Think positive"

**After Studying CE 1-4** (Context):

- "Oh, this is about externals being indifferent. My **judgments about externals** cause disturbance."

- **Understanding**: Connected to systematic foundation

- **Still unclear**: How exactly does the judgment → emotion mechanism work?

**After Studying Sterling Excerpt 1** (Core Statement):

- "Emotions **are** false judgments about externals. Not just 'caused by' but **identical to**."

- **Understanding**: Tighter connection than initially thought

- **Realization**: CE 5 is **the** core Stoic claim

**After Practice - First Test**:

- Insulted by colleague

- Feel angry (pathē arising)

- **Try**: "It's just my opinion that makes me angry"

- **Discovery**: Anger doesn't go away (intellectual understanding insufficient)

- **Insight**: I don't yet **believe** insults are indifferent (just saying it)

**Return to Text** (Deeper):

- Re-read: "The opinion about death, that it is terrible, is the terrible thing"

- Notice: Not "try to think death isn't terrible"

- But: "**Recognize** that the belief itself (not death) is the problem"

- **Understanding**: Need to change actual belief, not just repeat different words

**After Practice - Working with Opinion**:

- Insulted again

- **Examine**: "Why do I think this insult is terrible?"

- **Discover**: "I believe my reputation matters (external as good)"

- **Recognize**: "Reputation is external → indifferent → not good or evil"

- **Correct**: "This insult affects reputation (external = indifferent); my virtue unaffected"

- **Result**: Anger dissipates (false judgment corrected → pathē dissolves)

- **Realization**: It **actually works** when belief genuinely changes

**After Practice - Repeated**:

- Each time disturbed → trace back to false judgment

- Identify which external I'm judging as good/evil

- Correct the judgment (external = indifferent)

- **Over time**: Fewer false judgments arise (character building - Sterling Excerpt 7)

- **Understanding deepens**: CE 5 describes **actual mechanism** of emotion

**Advanced Practice** (Years Later):

- Disturbed less frequently (false judgments rarer)

- When disturbance arises, **immediately** recognize as false judgment

- Stage 3 achieved: Don't blame others or self, just correct judgment

- **Heideggerian**: World discloses itself as indifferent (externals) + significant (internals)

**Sage Level** (Ideal):

- No false value judgments arise (character perfected)

- All impressions immediately sorted: external = indifferent, internal = virtue/vice

- No pathē occur (no false judgments to generate them)

- **Complete instruction**: Neither blames others nor self (no blame needed - no errors occurring)

---

### **PART 6: MAPPING TO STERLING'S EXCERPTS**

#### **How CE 5 Illuminates Sterling's Teaching**

**Sterling Excerpt 1**: "1) Emotions are bad. 2) Emotions are caused by false value judgments. 3) Ergo, if we change those false value judgments, the bad emotions will go away."

**CE 5 Is This Exactly**:

- (1) "Disturbed, grieved" = bad emotions (pathē)

- (2) "By the opinions about the things" = caused by false value judgments

- (3) Implied: Change opinions → eliminate disturbance

**Sterling Excerpt 4f**: "All feelings that result from false value beliefs are, therefore, pathological and should be eliminated. This includes all fear, grief, and as well as mental 'pleasure', passionate love, etc. We eliminate them by changing the false value belief that generated the emotion."

**CE 5 Method**:

- "Let us never blame others, but ourselves, that is, our opinions"

- Identify the opinion (false value belief)

- This is **how** to eliminate: Recognize opinion as cause, change opinion

**Sterling Excerpt 6, Props 2-4**:

- "All psychological discontentment is caused by the belief that externals have value."

- "This belief is **factually false**."

- "Therefore, someone with true value beliefs will have psychological contentment."

**CE 5 Establishes These**:

- Prop 2: "Men are disturbed... by the opinions" (discontentment caused by beliefs)

- Prop 3: "Death is nothing terrible" (beliefs about externals **factually false**)

- Prop 4: Implied - correct beliefs → no disturbance (contentment)

**Sterling Excerpt 9, Section 2, Prop 11**: "¬Emotion ↔ ¬Belief(Value(Externals))"

**CE 5 Is Logical Equivalent**:

- No emotion if and only if no false belief about externals

- CE 5: Disturbed ↔ Opinion(external is terrible)

- Therefore: ¬Disturbed ↔ ¬Opinion(external is terrible)

- **Same structure**

---

### **PART 7: PRACTICAL APPLICATION**

#### **How to Actually Apply CE 5**

**The Daily Method**:

**Step 1: Notice Disturbance**

- Throughout day: Monitor emotional state

- When disturbed, impeded, grieved → **pause**

- Recognize: "I'm experiencing pathē (disturbance)"

**Step 2: Identify the Opinion**

- **Ask**: "What am I judging as good or evil right now?"

- **Examine**: What thought preceded disturbance?

- Usually: "This [external thing] is terrible/bad"

**Example - Traffic Jam**:

- **Notice**: Feeling frustrated (pathē)

- **Identify opinion**: "This traffic is terrible" or "Being late is bad"

- Both judgments are about **externals** (traffic, timeliness)

**Step 3: Recognize the External**

- **Apply dichotomy**: Is this in my control?

- Traffic = external (not in control)

- Being late = external (not in complete control)

- **Therefore**: Neither good nor evil (indifferent)

**Step 4: Correct the Judgment**

- **Replace false belief**: "Traffic is terrible" → "Traffic is indifferent"

- **Recognize**: "My **opinion** that traffic is terrible is what's disturbing me, not traffic itself"

- **True judgment**: "Traffic is an external circumstance, neither good nor evil"

**Step 5: Observe Result**

- **If judgment genuinely corrected**: Disturbance dissolves

- **If disturbance persists**: Haven't actually changed belief (still think traffic is bad)

- **Return to Step 3**: Keep examining until find the false judgment

**Step 6: Track Progress**

- Evening review: Where did I blame others today? (Stage 1)

- Where did I blame myself? (Stage 2)

- Where did I recognize the opinion without blame? (Stage 3)

- **Character building**: Each correct identification strengthens habit

---

### **PART 8: THE THREE STAGES IN PRACTICE**

#### **How to Progress Through the Stages**

**Moving from Stage 1 to Stage 2**:

**Recognize External Blame**:

- Notice when thinking: "He made me angry" or "This situation is awful"

- **Realize**: Others/situations can't **make** you feel anything

- **Shift**: "I'm angry because of how I'm interpreting this"

**Example**:

- Boss criticizes you unfairly

- **Stage 1**: "My boss is terrible; he ruined my day"

- **Recognition**: Boss's words = external; can't directly cause my emotions

- **Shift to Stage 2**: "I'm upset because I took the criticism personally"

**Moving from Stage 2 to Stage 3**:

**Stop Self-Blame**:

- Notice when thinking: "I shouldn't feel this way" or "I'm weak for being upset"

- **Realize**: Having false judgment doesn't make you bad person

- **Shift**: "I made an error in judgment; let me correct it"

**Example**:

- Didn't get job you wanted

- **Stage 2**: "I failed; I'm not good enough; I should have done better"

- **Recognition**: Job outcome = external = indifferent (not getting it doesn't make me bad)

- **Shift to Stage 3**: "I judged not-getting-job as evil (error); it's actually indifferent (truth)"

**Stage 3 In Action**:

- Disturbed by something

- **Immediate thought**: "I'm disturbed because of my judgment about this"

- **No blame** of other: "They didn't cause my disturbance"

- **No blame** of self: "I'm not bad for being disturbed"

- **Simple correction**: "I judged X as evil; X is actually indifferent"

- **Action**: Correct the judgment

- **Result**: Disturbance dissolves

---

### **PART 9: ADDRESSING OBJECTIONS**

#### **Common Misunderstandings**

**Objection 1**: "So you're saying rape victims cause their own trauma by their judgments? That's victim-blaming!"

**Clarification**:

- **Not** saying: Victim is morally responsible for trauma

- **Not** saying: Victim "chose" to be traumatized

- **Not** saying: Perpetrator isn't at fault (they absolutely are)

**What CE 5 Actually Says**:

- **External event** (rape) is objectively evil **as an action** (perpetrator's vice)

- But the **effect on victim's happiness** comes from victim's judgments

- Victim **appropriately** judges "this action was wrong" (true - it was vicious act)

- Victim may **inappropriately** judge "I am ruined" or "I cannot be happy" (false - externals don't determine happiness)

- **Therapeutic insight**: Victim **can** recover by recognizing their happiness isn't destroyed by external event

- This is **empowering**, not blaming (gives victim power over own recovery)

**Sterling's Position** (implied in system):

- Perpetrator's action = **vice** (internal to perpetrator = evil)

- Effect on victim = **external** to victim (victim's body = external to victim's prohairesis)

- Victim's **response** = where victim's virtue/vice is tested

- Victim maintains virtue by: Recognizing event doesn't destroy their capacity for virtue

- This doesn't excuse perpetrator (their vice remains vice)

- But **empowers** victim (your happiness still in your control)

**Objection 2**: "This is emotional suppression - denying legitimate feelings."

**Sterling's Answer** (Prop 4):

- **Propatheitai** (initial bodily reactions) ≠ **pathē** (false-judgment-based emotions)

- Initial shock, tears, physical responses = **acceptable** (not in control, not based on judgment)

- Ongoing suffering from "I am ruined" = **pathē** (false judgment: external destroyed my happiness)

- **Not suppressing** initial feelings

- **Correcting** false judgments that cause ongoing suffering

**CE 5's Point**:

- Not "don't feel anything"

- But "recognize that ongoing disturbance comes from your **opinion**, not event"

- Change opinion → disturbance dissolves **naturally** (not suppressed)

**Objection 3**: "Some things really ARE terrible - like injustice, cruelty, suffering."

**Sterling's Answer** (Careful Distinction):

- **Actions** can be vicious (perpetrator's **internal** choice = vice = evil)

- **Effects** on victims are external to victims (neither good nor evil)

- We **appropriately** work against injustice (kathēkon - appropriate aim)

- We **don't** judge our happiness as dependent on eliminating all injustice (external outcome)

**CE 5's Position**:

- Death itself = not terrible (external to your prohairesis)

- **Killing** someone = terrible (if done viciously - internal to killer = evil)

- You can judge action as vicious **and** recognize outcome as indifferent

- Work against injustice (appropriate) without being disturbed by its existence (indifferent external)

**Objection 4**: "If nothing external matters, why do anything?"

**Sterling's Answer** (Props 26-29):

- Acts of will need **content** (appropriate aims)

- Many externals are **preferred indifferents** (appropriately pursued)

- Health, life, justice, knowledge = appropriate aims

- **Pursue these** appropriately (kathēkonta - duties)

- But **without attachment** to outcomes (externals = indifferent)

**CE 5's Compatibility**:

- Doesn't say "do nothing" (passivity)

- Says "don't be disturbed by outcomes" (equanimity in action)

- Pursue appropriate aims + maintain peace when outcomes fail = Stage 3

---

### **PART 10: INTEGRATION WITH CE 1-4**

#### **CE 5 as Summary and Culmination**

**CE 1**: Established dichotomy (internals/externals, control/no control, value/indifference)

**CE 2**: Applied to desire/aversion (eliminate for externals, use impulse)

**CE 3**: Premeditate loss (recognize fragility/mortality in advance)

**CE 4**: Premeditate action (dual intention structure)

**CE 5**: Explains **why** all previous instructions work

**The Integration**:

**CE 1 → CE 5**:

- CE 1: Externals are indifferent (neither good nor evil)

- **CE 5 explains why this matters**: Because judging externals as good/evil **causes disturbance**

- CE 1: Only internals can be good/evil

- **CE 5 shows mechanism**: Judgments (internal) create emotions

**CE 2 → CE 5**:

- CE 2: Destroy desire for externals (they cause unhappiness)

- **CE 5 explains how**: Desire = judgment "external is good" → when don't get it → disturbed

- CE 2: Transfer aversion to vice only

- **CE 5 clarifies**: Because only **judgments** (internal) cause disturbance, avert false judgments

**CE 3 → CE 5**:

- CE 3: Premeditate loss by recognizing mortality

- **CE 5 explains purpose**: Pre-form correct opinion ("death is indifferent") so when death comes, that opinion (not false "death is terrible") is active

- CE 3: "You will not be disturbed"

- **CE 5 shows why**: Because correct opinion about death prevents disturbance

**CE 4 → CE 5**:

- CE 4: Dual intention (external aim + maintain prohairesis)

- **CE 5 explains**: External obstacles don't disturb; only **opinion** about obstacles disturbs

- CE 4: "I shall not maintain it so, if I am vexed"

- **CE 5 clarifies**: Vexation = false opinion about obstacle → disturbed by opinion, not obstacle

**CE 5 Provides Theoretical Foundation**:

- CE 1-4 = **practical instructions**

- CE 5 = **why they work** (psychological theory)

- Understanding CE 5 → deeper grasp of CE 1-4's purpose

**Hermeneutic Circle**:

- CE 1-4 make sense in light of CE 5 (now understand **mechanism**)

- CE 5 makes sense because of CE 1-4 (see it applied in practice)

- Each passage illuminates the others

---

### **PART 11: FINAL SYSTEMATIC SUMMARY**

#### **CE 5 in Sterling's Complete System**

**What CE 5 Establishes**:

**The Core Psychological Claim**:

- Emotions (pathē) **caused by** false value judgments about externals

- Not caused by externals themselves

- **Biconditional**: Disturbed ↔ False opinion about externals

**The Logical Structure**:

- Events happen (external)

- Opinion added (internal - in our control)

- Emotion results (from opinion, not event)

- **Therefore**: Change opinion → change emotion

**The Proof Method**:

- If X were inherently terrible, wise person would find it so

- Socrates (wise) didn't find death terrible

- Therefore death not inherently terrible

- Therefore **opinion** (not death) is what's terrible

**The Application**:

- When disturbed: Never blame externals or others

- Blame our opinions (recognize opinion as cause)

- Correct opinion → eliminate disturbance

**The Progress Stages**:

- Stage 1: Blame others (uneducated)

- Stage 2: Blame self (beginning instruction)

- Stage 3: Blame neither (completed instruction - just correct error)

**Connection to LSSE**:

- Prop 4: "Emotions (pathē) are false judgments" ← CE 5 establishes

- Prop 7: "All externals indifferent" ← CE 5 uses as premise

- Prop 14: "Desire/aversion misapplied to externals = root of suffering" ← CE 5 explains mechanism

- Prop 16: "Correct judgment eliminates pathē" ← CE 5 implies solution

- Prop 22: "All blame arises from false beliefs" ← CE 5 teaches explicitly

**Integration with Complete System**:

- CE 5 is **theoretical core** (explains why system works)

- CE 1-4 are **practical applications** (how to implement theory)

- Together: Complete Stoic psychology (theory + practice)

- Sterling's systematization (32 props) built on CE 5's foundation

---

## **STERLING-MODE VERDICT**

### **CE 5 Assessment**

**Logical Structure**: ✓ **Valid and Profound**

- If judgments cause emotions (not events)

- And judgments are in our control

- Then emotions are in our control (by controlling judgments)

- Sound reasoning with radical implications

**Doctrinal Centrality**: ✓ **Core Teaching**

- **THE** central Stoic psychological claim

- Sterling Excerpt 1 = CE 5 in simplified form

- All 32 LSSE props trace back to this principle

- Most important passage in CE 1-5

**Practical Applicability**: ✓ **Universal Method**

- Applies to every disturbance (any pathē)

- Testable immediately (examine opinions when disturbed)

- Progressive stages (realistic about difficulty)

- Character building through repeated practice

**Hermeneutic Depth**: ✓ **Inexhaustible**

- Surface meaning accessible (thoughts cause feelings)

- Deep meaning radical (only opinions disturb, never events)

- Practice reveals depth (each application deepens understanding)

- Most misunderstood (seems like "think positive" superficially)

**Philosophical Sophistication**: ✓ **Exceptional**

- Clear argument structure (Socrates example)

- Addresses obvious objection (but death seems terrible!)

- Provides practical method (blame opinions, not externals)

- Anticipates progress stages (realistic psychology)

**Integration**: ✓ **Perfect Summary**

- Summarizes CE 1-4 (explains why they work)

- Grounds Sterling's LSSE (Prop 4 especially)

- Matches Sterling's 9 excerpts (Excerpt 1 = CE 5 simplified)

- Completes CE 1-5 as coherent system

**Revolutionary Implication**: ✓ **Complete Responsibility**

- You create all your own suffering (through false judgments)

- Nothing external can disturb you (only your opinions can)

- **Complete power** over happiness (change judgments)

- **Complete responsibility** for unhappiness (your judgments caused it)

---

## **CONCLUSION: CE 1-5 AS COMPLETE SYSTEM**

### **The Integrated Whole**

**CE 1**: **Foundation** - Dichotomy of internals/externals establishes value theory

**CE 2**: **Desire Management** - Eliminate desire/aversion to externals; use impulse

**CE 3**: **Loss Premeditation** - Recognize mortality/fragility in advance

**CE 4**: **Action Structure** - Dual intention formula for all activities

**CE 5**: **Theoretical Core** - Opinions (not things) cause disturbance; explains why system works

**Together**: Complete practical Stoicism

- **Metaphysics** (CE 1): What reality is (dichotomy)

- **Psychology** (CE 5): How emotions work (opinions cause pathē)

- **Practice** (CE 2-4): How to live (eliminate desire, premeditate, dual intention)

- **Result**: Ataraxia (undisturbed state), Virtue (appropriate choosing), Eudaimonia (happiness)

**Sterling's Contribution**:

- Identified CE 1-5 as "the place to start" (pedagogically sound)

- Systematized the teaching (32 props from 9 excerpts, compiled by Kelly)

- Made explicit the six commitments (philosophical foundation)

- Showed complete integration (each part illuminates whole; facilitated by Kelly)

**For Students**:

- **Start here** (CE 1-5) before reading full Discourses

- **Master these** through practice (not just intellectual understanding)

- **Return repeatedly** (hermeneutic circle - understanding deepens)

- **Live it** (transform from theory to practice to character)

---

**CE 1-5 COMPREHENSIVE HERMENEUTIC COMMENTARY SERIES COMPLETE**

**All five chapters** now provide:

- Sterling's systematic framework (LSSE, six commitments, nine excerpts)

- Hermeneutic depth (part/whole circular understanding)

- Practical application (how to actually practice)

- Integration (each passage illuminates the others)

- Universal philosophy (works for atheists, agnostics, theists alike)

This completes the foundational Sterling-Mode commentary on Epictetus's Enchiridion 1-5.