The graphic above is a simplification of how the Stoics believed we move from perceiving to acting. Forming correct judgements or true beliefs about reality is paramount. Much of our suffering (mental) is based on our faulty judgements. We need to be able to see things as they are and not as we wish them to be.
How do we make correct judgements?
Now I am somewhere just south of fifty, and am entrusted as part of my job to make good judgements. Like the average, qualified, professional I do make good judgements most of the time, specifically within my area of expertise. That being said, I think there is vast room for improvement, both within and without those bounds. The amount of conscious/semi-conscious judgements we make each day should provide ample instances for practice.
Impressions
The Stoics begin with an event making an impression on our mind. This could be sensory information, rational argument and so on. Some of these impressions we consciously note, others seem to slip, almost unnoticed, under our guard and yet others sneak by unnoticed, until perhaps they prick a sore point. I’ll also note here that the graphic above doesn’t take into account that the formation of an impression is something that’s bound to be partly generated by the person receiving it. Our experiences and training can effect our construction/reception of the impression.
The activities I am going to outline below are designed to try and get us to notice some of the strong impressions that we let form the basis of our judgements. You might begin to notice how little attention we pay to the impression before we build our judgement around/from it.
Harsh Appearances(Impressions)
Work, therefore to be able to say to every harsh appearance, "You are but an appearance, and not absolutely the thing you appear to be." - Epictetus, Trans. Elizabeth Carter
How often do you witness someone reacting to an event, another person sighing deeply for example, and them interpretting that sigh as an expression of frusration directed at them personally, causing them to react angrily in return? Yet you yourself interpret no such malice or motive in the sigh. It’s easier to see potential misperceptions in others, much harder in ourselves. How often do we hold an impression at a distance and say, “so and so sighed” before then attaching a judgement to it, “so and so sighed, they are obviously angry at me and I have done nothing wrong, this sighing is unjustified.”? Not often I’ll warrant and even less so with people; colleagues, students or family members who we believe we know more about than the average stranger.
So the first step in forming good judgment, is to slow down that process. Epictetus tells us to be wary of appearances or impressions, that they may not1 be what they appear to be. How do you hold a vivid or harsh impression to account before fully forming your judgement?
Reflectively
Think back over the day, particularly where your judgements have been in error. Try and pinpoint the stage at which you applied the judgement, your reasons for doing so. You can journal this or just think about it. I am a fan of journalling, if I can find the time. It also gives you a sense of progress if you review your journal. I also tend to find if you are drawing your attention to impressions then you are more likely to note them as they arise. Ideally though, we’d prefer to shut the gate before the horse has bolted. Head the bad judgement off at the pass, if I can stretch the metaphor that far. So…
Proactively
Or at least as the situation arises. Pigliucci and Lopez2 suggest this as part of their weekly exercises. They suggest, that if possible, you should verbally halt harsh impressions (strong desires or aversions) with a phrase similar to that translated by Elizabeth Carter above. A short mental, “Whoah Nelly!” might surfice, lest you get some odd looks. They make particular use of the psychological tool of setting implementation intentions to make it more likely that you will notice these impressions. The implementation intention can be written (they do suggest you write it down) in an if-then format: If (articulate how you are going to notice the impression) then I will (articulate what you will say).
An example:
If I notice that I get physiologically/psycologically aroused(upset) at an event then I will say, “Whoah Nelly,” and question whether the impression has truth to it or not.
Simple? In concept. See how you go in practise. Try it for a week, note down how you went and feel free to make a comment below.
or they may, but at least you will have paused for thought.
A Handbook for New Stoics, page 216.