The Practitioner’s Procedure — Sterling’s Framework as Philosophical Instrument
The six steps as they present to the human agent. Theoretical framework: Grant C. Sterling. Instrument architecture: Dave Kelly, 2026. Prose rendering: Claude.
PRACTITIONER-PROCEDURE
├─ 1. WHAT-THE-PRACTITIONER-IS
│ ├─ Identity
│ │ ├─ rational-faculty-alone—not-body-reputation-circumstances-history
│ │ ├─ prohairesis—the-one-who-receives-impressions-and-assents-or-refuses
│ │ ├─ not-constituted-by-narrative-role-or-social-position
│ │ └─ Disc-1.29—what-are-you—a-collection-of-dogmata
│ ├─ Condition-Before-Any-Step
│ │ ├─ impressions-arrive-already-propositional—not-raw-data
│ │ ├─ impression-arrival-not-in-control—assent-is
│ │ ├─ false-impression-does-not-announce-itself—feels-like-seeing-clearly
│ │ └─ everything-critical-is-contained-in-the-one-act-of-assent
│ └─ What-Is-At-Stake
│ ├─ get-assents-right—eudaimonia-guaranteed
│ ├─ get-one-wrong—eudaimonia-not-possible-in-that-moment
│ ├─ the-procedure-is-not-a-calculation—it-is-a-perceptual-correction
│ └─ framework-performs-what-a-person-of-good-judgment-does-naturally
│
├─ 2. PRELIMINARY-AGENT-CHECK
│ ├─ The-Question
│ │ ├─ am-I-currently-under-influence-of-false-impression-driving-this-decision
│ │ ├─ trigger-question—what-is-making-this-feel-like-it-matters-so-much
│ │ └─ examine-whether-answer-involves-external-treated-as-genuine-good-or-evil
│ ├─ The-Procedure
│ │ ├─ state-impression-in-propositional-form—exactly-what-is-being-asserted
│ │ ├─ identify-what-the-agent-desires-in-this-situation—stated-explicitly
│ │ ├─ locate-governing-proposition—quote-exactly—do-not-paraphrase
│ │ └─ let-proposition-produce-verdict—do-not-form-verdict-first
│ ├─ Why-It-Comes-First
│ │ ├─ running-sound-procedure-on-faulty-input-corrupts-every-subsequent-step
│ │ ├─ urgency-itself-is-a-signal—false-value-judgment-operating
│ │ └─ complete-only-when-rational-faculty-confirmed-operating-without-distortion
│ └─ Governing-Propositions
│ ├─ Prop-11—assenting-or-rejecting-impressions-only-thing-in-our-control
│ ├─ Prop-20—belief-any-external-good-or-evil-is-factually-false
│ └─ Nine-Excerpts-Section-3—only-internal-things-in-control
│
├─ 3. STEP-ONE-PURVIEW-CHECK
│ ├─ The-Question
│ │ ├─ is-what-I-am-trying-to-decide-about-actually-mine-to-determine
│ │ └─ only-beliefs-and-will-are-genuinely-mine—outcomes-and-others-are-not
│ ├─ The-Procedure
│ │ ├─ state-decision-as-currently-framed
│ │ ├─ strip-everything-whose-outcome-depends-on-factors-outside-beliefs-and-will
│ │ ├─ restate-until-formulated-purely-in-terms-of-own-beliefs-and-will
│ │ └─ keep-restating-until-nothing-external-remains-in-the-formulation
│ ├─ What-This-Reveals
│ │ ├─ decision-often-simpler-than-it-appeared
│ │ ├─ sometimes-no-decision-at-all—only-situation-to-accept-and-respond-to
│ │ └─ if-restated-decision-feels-trivial—purview-check-worked
│ └─ Governing-Propositions
│ ├─ Prop-11—assenting-or-rejecting-impressions-only-thing-in-control
│ ├─ Prop-16—only-things-directly-related-to-virtue-are-in-control
│ └─ Nine-Excerpts-Section-3—only-internal-things-in-control
│
├─ 4. STEP-TWO-VALUE-STRIP
│ ├─ The-Question
│ │ ├─ am-I-treating-anything-in-this-situation-as-genuine-good-or-evil
│ │ ├─ concerns-the-situation-contents—not-the-agent-condition
│ │ └─ agent-condition-was-addressed-in-preliminary-step
│ ├─ The-Procedure
│ │ ├─ take-everything-remaining-after-purview-check
│ │ ├─ classify-each-element—virtue-vice-or-indifferent
│ │ ├─ preferred-or-dispreferred-indifferent—appropriate-object-of-aim-only
│ │ └─ Th-19-check—positive-feelings-not-irrational—desiring-them-is
│ ├─ What-False-Value-Does
│ │ ├─ if-assent-to-value-impression—desire-results
│ │ ├─ if-impression-says-outcome-already-occurred—emotion-results
│ │ └─ Sterling-Section-7—all-desires-all-emotions-all-actions-tied-to-assent
│ ├─ Sterling-Section-7-Sub-Steps-a-and-b
│ │ ├─ sub-step-a—do-not-assent-to-impressions-depicting-externals-as-good-or-evil
│ │ └─ sub-step-b—if-a-fails—do-not-assent-to-subsequent-immoral-response-impressions
│ └─ Governing-Propositions
│ ├─ Props-17-20-22-23-26—value-theory-and-causation-of-emotions
│ ├─ SLE-Section-IV—all-emotions-caused-by-beliefs-about-good-or-evil
│ └─ Nine-Excerpts-Th-19—positive-feelings-not-irrational-desiring-them-is
│
├─ 5. STEP-THREE-VIRTUE-IDENTIFICATION
│ ├─ The-Question
│ │ ├─ which-preferred-indifferent-is-the-appropriate-object-of-aim
│ │ └─ not-what-do-I-want—what-does-my-role-make-it-correct-to-pursue
│ ├─ Sub-Step-A-Role-Identification
│ │ ├─ identify-which-roles-are-operative-in-this-situation
│ │ ├─ role-must-be-grounded-in-actual-social-relationship—not-descriptive-convenience
│ │ ├─ primary-role—most-directly-operative-in-situation
│ │ └─ secondary-roles—present-and-generating-duties-even-if-not-primary
│ ├─ Sub-Step-B-Role-Conflict-Resolution
│ │ ├─ multiple-roles-may-generate-real-tension-at-preferred-indifferents
│ │ ├─ tension-does-not-produce-moral-indeterminacy
│ │ ├─ discharge-primary-role-first-without-abandoning-secondary-role-duties
│ │ └─ desire-is-not-a-constraint-on-role-duty—Prop-72
│ ├─ Sub-Step-C-Candidate-Selection
│ │ ├─ select-preferred-indifferent-that-maximizes-preferred-indifferents-across-all-roles
│ │ ├─ not-a-consequentialist-calculation—a-rational-assessment-of-aim
│ │ └─ Sterling-Section-7-sub-step-d—by-attending-to-preferred-indifferents-and-role-duties
│ ├─ Prohibition
│ │ └─ four-cardinal-virtues-taxonomy-not-imported—training-data-contamination
│ └─ Governing-Propositions
│ ├─ Props-22-60-64-66-68-72—role-identification-and-conflict-resolution
│ ├─ Nine-Excerpts-Th-29—virtue-equals-pursuit-of-appropriate-objects-of-aim
│ └─ Prop-37—virtue-consists-of-pursuing-appropriate-objects-not-objects-of-desire
│
├─ 6. STEP-FOUR-ACTION-DETERMINATION
│ ├─ The-Question
│ │ ├─ what-does-pursuing-the-appropriate-object-of-aim-require-in-these-circumstances
│ │ └─ prop-59—three-and-only-three-components—rational-goal-rational-means-reservation
│ ├─ Factual-Uncertainty-Gate-Mandatory-Before-Move-One
│ │ ├─ what-facts-do-I-actually-have-direct-access-to
│ │ ├─ do-the-uncertain-facts-materially-affect-which-means-I-select
│ │ ├─ where-does-domain-expertise-lie-outside-what-I-can-determine
│ │ └─ uncertainty-carried-into-reservation—not-resolved-by-assumption
│ ├─ Move-One-Means-Identification
│ │ ├─ means-genuinely-designed-to-realize-goal-given-actual-constraints
│ │ ├─ no-requirement-of-perfect-means-when-good-means-are-available
│ │ └─ Props-61-73—rational-proportionate-not-immoral-sensitive-to-competing-goals
│ ├─ Move-Two-Manner-Check
│ │ ├─ manner-of-execution-is-role-constrained-and-within-purview
│ │ ├─ same-means-executed-in-different-manners-are-different-actions
│ │ └─ honest-role-appropriate-genuinely-attentive—Props-67-74
│ ├─ Move-Three-Appearance-Check
│ │ ├─ is-action-chosen-because-it-is-rational-means-to-rational-goal
│ │ ├─ or-because-it-appears-virtuous-to-others
│ │ └─ external-appearance-of-virtue-is-an-indifferent—Prop-75
│ ├─ Move-Four-Verification-Test
│ │ ├─ would-this-action-still-be-chosen-if-emotional-charge-removed
│ │ ├─ yes—rational-act-of-will-directed-at-preferred-indifferent
│ │ ├─ no—return-to-Step-Two—value-correction-not-complete
│ │ └─ Sterling-Section-7-sub-step-d—bring-this-consciously-to-mind-and-assent
│ └─ Governing-Propositions
│ ├─ Prop-35—rational-act-of-will—goal-means-reservation
│ ├─ Props-59-77—full-Section-IX-action-proposition-set
│ └─ Prop-73—actual-constraints-include-factual-uncertainty
│
├─ 7. STEP-FIVE-OUTCOME-ACCEPTANCE
│ ├─ The-Question
│ │ ├─ can-I-release-what-follows-from-the-action-I-have-taken
│ │ └─ moral-work-is-complete—what-follows-belongs-to-circumstances-outside-purview
│ ├─ What-This-Is-Not
│ │ ├─ not-passive-resignation
│ │ ├─ not-indifference-to-outcomes
│ │ └─ not-detachment-as-practiced-stillness—it-is-correct-understanding-of-purview
│ ├─ What-This-Is
│ │ ├─ Prop-38—appropriateness-determined-at-moment-of-choice-regardless-of-outcomes
│ │ ├─ Prop-63—outcomes-do-not-retroactively-alter-appropriateness-of-choice
│ │ ├─ Prop-78—prospective-preparation-before-difficult-situations
│ │ └─ Prop-79—retrospective-review-identifies-failure-without-punishment
│ ├─ Sterling-Section-7-Sub-Step-e
│ │ ├─ when-you-act-correctly-assent-to-proposition-that-you-have-done-a-good-thing
│ │ └─ then-you-will-experience-Joy—or-at-least-proto-Joy
│ └─ Governing-Propositions
│ ├─ Props-38-62-63-78-80
│ └─ Prop-80—accumulation-of-correct-choices-over-time-is-character-development
│
└─ 8. TELOS-AND-CHARACTER-FORMATION
├─ Sterling-Section-7-Sub-Step-f
│ ├─ over-time-character-changes
│ ├─ false-value-impressions-in-a-and-b-cease-to-arise
│ ├─ c-and-d-and-e-become-routine
│ └─ this-is-eudaimonia—good-feelings-combined-with-virtuous-actions
├─ The-Indirect-Control-of-Impressions
│ ├─ refuse-impression—makes-same-type-less-common-and-weaker
│ ├─ assent-to-impression—makes-same-type-more-common-and-stronger
│ ├─ long-process—critical-for-the-Stoics—this-is-building-virtuous-character
│ └─ Sage—controlled-assents-so-carefully-no-longer-receives-false-value-impressions
├─ The-Procedure-and-the-Sage
│ ├─ procedure-is-scaffolding-for-what-sage-does-without-effort
│ ├─ named-failure-modes-name-what-the-untrained-practitioner-does-by-default
│ ├─ telos—full-possession-of-foundational-dogmata—not-acquisition-of-new-ones
│ └─ framework-performs-equivalently-to-what-person-of-good-judgment-does-naturally
└─ What-The-Three-Maps-Togeththeoretical-foundations.er-https://stoicnews.blogspot.com/2026/04/dogmata-synthesis-of-twenty-posts.html?m=1Show
├─ theoretical-foundations—why-the-system-is-philosophically-defensible
├─ practitioner-procedure—what-the-system-asks-of-the-human-agent
└─ instrument-architecture—how-the-LLM-is-constrained-to-support-without-corrupting
Theoretical framework: Grant C. Sterling. Instrument architecture and synthesis: Dave Kelly, 2026. Prose rendering: Claude.
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