Cicero, Emotion, And Stoic Epistemology

Front 1

What is the Stoic account of emotion?

Back 1

An emotion is an entirely mental act. Emotions are beliefs. They are (1) ascriptions of value and (2) judgments about what is proper, in accordance with moral character. Thus, emotions are entirely voluntary, as they come about “not by nature, but by voluntary judgment”. Moreover, according to the Stoics, emotions are false beliefs.

Front 2

What is the three-component account of emotion?

Back 2

Perceptual impression or Descriptive- belief (first-order belief)

Evaluative-belief (second-order belief)

Assent or Appropriateness-belief (third- order belief)

Front 3

What is an impressive or descriptive belief?

Back 3

The first-order descriptive-belief concerns factual states of affairs in the world, usually which are outside of our control (e.g., “My child has died”).

While this impression serves as the immediate or proximate cause of an emotion, it is not what the Stoics consider a principle cause.

Front 4

What is the difference between principle cause and proximate cause?

Back 4

The principle cause of an emotion stems from the evaluative and appropriateness beliefs that we bring to bear on our experience.
The proximate cause stems from the impressive belief.

Front 5

What are impressions?

Back 5

Impressions, like all beliefs according to the Stoics, are thoughts or representations. They contain some sort of propositional content, which is capable of being stated linguistically. Impressions are thus mental sentences or propositions.