Chess

Rational Judgment and the Use of Assent

Document ID	ST-POL-002
Version	1.0
Effective Date	July 27, 2025
Author	David V
Approved By	[Approver Name]

Define the principle that assent.

Purpose

To define the Stoic principle of assent and its governing role in human judgment, emotion, and decision-making. This policy establishes that all impressions must be examined by reason before being accepted, and that moral clarity depends on the disciplined application of assent.

Scope

This policy applies to all practitioners utilizing Scriptan to guide internal deliberation, response to events, management of emotional triggers, and execution of action. It governs the inner mechanism by which perceptions, thoughts, and urges are either accepted or rejected.

Definitions & Abbreviations

Assent: The voluntary act of affirming an impression or judgment as true or actionable.
Impression (phantasia): Any appearance or mental perception, including thoughts, emotions, and sensory stimuli.
Impulse (hormē): A motivating force toward action, following assent.
Pre-emotion (propatheia): An involuntary physiological or affective reaction that precedes rational evaluation.
Discipline of Assent: The practice of scrutinizing impressions before endorsing them.

Policy Statement

The Stoic practitioner shall not give assent to any impression without rational examination. This includes:

Suspending judgment on unclear or emotionally charged perceptions.
Withholding assent when evidence or reasoning is insufficient.
Recognizing that emotions such as anger, fear, or desire often result from premature assent.
Applying assent only to impressions that are coherent with Stoic virtue and in accordance with nature.

This policy reinforces the sovereignty of the rational mind and supports the avoidance of passion and error.

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

Practitioners are encouraged to maintain:

A Judgment Log: Daily or situational entries capturing major impressions and whether assent was given.
A Post-Incident Reflection: For events involving strong emotion or error in judgment.
A Quarterly Assessment of Clarity: Summary of progress in applying the discipline of assent.

These records are private unless voluntarily shared with a peer for accountability.

References

Epictetus, Discourses, Book 1, Chapter 1: “On what is in our power”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.7: “Do not say more to yourself than the first impressions report.”
Seneca, On Anger, Book 2: the distinction between impulse and emotion.
Hierocles, Elements of Ethics (fragments): on rational response to impressions.

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.