Roots

Living in Accordance with Nature

Document ID	ST-POL-001
Version	1.0
Effective Date	July 27, 2025
Author	David V
Approved By	[Approver Name]

Foundational document from which all other Stoic policies and procedures are derived.

Purpose

To define the foundational principle of Stoic practice: living in agreement with nature, in alignment with reason, virtue, and the proper function of human beings. This policy sets the philosophical and ethical direction for all derived procedures, decisions, and self-governance frameworks.

Scope

Applies to all individuals engaging with the Scriptan platform and implementing its Stoic-aligned policies and procedures in their personal, social, and professional lives.

Definitions & Abbreviations

Nature: The rational structure of the cosmos and the inherent order of all things.
Virtue: Excellence of character expressed through wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance.
Logos: The universal reason or principle that governs the cosmos.
Indifferents: Things not inherently good or evil (e.g., health, status, wealth).
Eudaimonia: Flourishing life achieved through virtue; the Stoic conception of happiness.
Oikeiôsis: The process of aligning oneself with one's true nature and rational self.

Policy Statement

The Stoic practitioner shall conduct all internal and external actions in accordance with Nature, which is to say:

Exercise reason to discern what is up to oneself and what is not.
Pursue virtue as the only intrinsic good.
Accept external events as outcomes of fate and not subject to moral judgment.
Treat all people as fellow rational beings, deserving of justice and goodwill.
Embrace obstacles as opportunities for virtue (via the discipline of assent, desire, and action).

This principle forms the foundation of all further policies and standard operating procedures within Scriptan.

Roles & Responsibilities

Practitioner: Responsible for daily adherence to the principles stated in this policy.
Scriptan Governance Board: May be responsible for evolving the policy and related procedures.
Community: May provide feedback, reflections, and interpretations of this policy.

Procedure

While procedures are detailed in associated SOPs, adherence to this policy requires:

Daily practice of mindful reflection (see SOP-ST-001).
Monitoring and correction of emotional responses (see SOP-ST-002).
Voluntary exposure to mild discomfort or adversity to cultivate resilience (see SOP-ST-004)

Documentation & Record Keeping

Each practitioner is encouraged to maintain:

A daily log of reflections and moral evaluations (e.g., morning intention and evening review).
An external events ledger, used to classify daily occurrences into things within one's control and things outside of it.
Quarterly assessments of virtue progress in the four cardinal domains.

These records serve as tools for self-accountability and may be referenced in peer discussions.

References

Epictetus, Enchiridion and Discourses
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
Seneca, On the Shortness of Life, Letters to Lucilius
Cleanthes and Chrysippus fragments (as interpreted in secondary Stoic literature)

Review & Revision

This policy is subject to annual review by Scriptan governance or its delegated curators.
Revisions may be made based on community feedback, philosophical developments, or practical insights gained through practice.
Revisions may occur earlier if new philosophical insight warrants clarification or extension.