The mental acceptance or rejection of an impression, which is a representation of the world in our minds that does not necessarily reflect the world itself.
This is the process by which we form beliefs.
We receive impressions of the world (e.g., "It is a very bad thing that I have been insulted"), and then decide to either suspend judgement, reject the impression as false, or give our assent.
If we assent, then the impression becomes a belief, which motivates our behaviour, and if there is a value judgement, determines our emotions.
Assent is the key reason Stoics believed our beliefs are up to us, and what sets us apart from animals.
When someone calls you a name, almost everyone will receive the impression that they have been insulted, but only those that assent to the impression will feel anger or embarrassment.
Greek: Synkatathesis
συγκατάθεσις.
Book: Essential Stoic Concepts
Subtitle: A Stoic glossary
Author: Stoa
Chapter: Assent (Chapter 2 of 32)
Sections in this chapter:
Section 2:
The mental acceptance or rejection of an impression, which is a representation of the world in our minds that does not necessarily reflect the world itself.
This is the process by which we form beliefs.
We receive impressions of the world (e.g., "It is a very bad thing that I have been insulted"), and then decide to either suspend judgement, reject the impression as false, or give our assent.
If we assent, then the impression becomes a belief, which motivates our behaviour, and if there is a value judgement, determines our emotions.
Assent is the key reason Stoics believed our beliefs are up to us, and what sets us apart from animals.
When someone calls you a name, almost everyone will receive the impression that they have been insulted, but only those that assent to the impression will feel anger or embarrassment.
Greek: Synkatathesis
συγκατάθεσις.