Concepts
The irreducible epistemic atoms underlying the curriculum. 4,828 atoms across 8 types
Value conflict
the inevitable consequence of having a rich, multi-dimensional value system where genuine ends pull in opposite directions, not an error or failure to think clearly
Operative hierarchy
the actual ranking of values within an individual that is revealed through simulated trade-off scenarios under pressure, as opposed to the abstract hierarchy stated in verbal declarations
Sacred value
a value that possesses transcendental significance that precludes comparisons, trade-offs, or mingling with secular values, and is genuinely non-negotiable even under sufficient pressure
False consensus effect
the cognitive bias where individuals overestimate how many others share their choices, attitudes, and values, and perceive those who disagree as more extreme and revealing of character flaws, with the mechanism being anchoring on one's own values and insufficient adjustment
Perspective-taking
the cognitive skill of constructing a model of another person's viewpoint including the values that generate it, which is distinct from empathy (feeling what someone feels) and enables understanding of different value hierarchies without surrendering one's own values
Values-based decision-making
the process of using a ranked hierarchy of one's own values as a filter for difficult choices, where decisions are made by determining which option best serves the highest-ranked values, and where the decision becomes principled rather than arbitrary when one knows their own values and their hierarchy
Values alignment
the degree to which daily actions serve deeply held values, creating energy, motivation, and a sense of meaning through autonomous self-regulation rather than controlled self-regulation
Values misalignment
the structural contradiction between personal values and daily actions that produces chronic energy drain, psychological discomfort, and physiological stress through continuous self-regulation demands
Vitality
the experience of energy available to the self that can be directed, sustained, and recovered from, specifically generated through autonomous self-regulation rather than controlled self-regulation
Moral injury
the psychological distress that results from actions, or the lack of actions, that violate a person's moral code, producing symptoms including shame, guilt, loss of trust, and existential disorientation
Values as compass
the conceptual framework where core values function as directional guides rather than endpoints or goals, providing orientation and agency under pressure by focusing on movement toward values rather than achieving specific outcomes
Values check-in: a recurring structured self-assessment…
Values check-in: a recurring structured self-assessment practice conducted quarterly that audits behavioral patterns, maps emotional signals, and analyzes gaps between stated values and operative behavior to ensure priorities remain aligned with who you are becoming
Sovereign choice
the capacity to direct one's own life according to standards that have been examined and endorsed rather than standards that have been inherited and never questioned
Eudaimonia
the condition of a human being who is functioning well, living in accordance with their deepest capacities, and expressing excellence or virtue in activities that constitute their life, achieved through values alignment and authentic self-expression
Boundary
a line of demarcation between what is yours and what is not yours that defines your domain of responsibility, your limits of tolerance, and your conditions for engagement
Fusion
a state in which individuals become enmeshed with the emotions and needs of others, leading to a blurring of boundaries and a loss of individuality where you cannot tell the difference between your anxiety and your partner's anxiety
Emotional boundary
a psychological boundary that defines whose feelings you carry, determining whether you can sit with a friend who is suffering without absorbing their suffering as your own
Cognitive boundary
a psychological boundary that defines whose thoughts and beliefs you treat as authoritative, distinguishing between 'I have evaluated this and reached a conclusion' and 'I have imported someone else's conclusion without evaluation'
Wall
a complete barrier that blocks all input or output, creating isolation rather than selective filtering
Genuine boundary
a statement about what you will accept and what you will not, combined with the willingness to enforce it, with three components: clarity about the limit, communication, and enforcement
Cognitive overload
a state where the total information demanding processing exceeds available working memory capacity, causing performance degradation and qualitatively worse decisions
Extraneous load
the unnecessary complexity imposed by how information is presented or organized that consumes working memory capacity without contributing to germane processing
Energy boundaries
practices that protect high-value cognitive work from being drained by low-value obligations by recognizing differential energy costs of activities
Emotional contagion
an automatic, pre-conscious neurological process by which people mimic and absorb others' emotional states through facial expressions, vocalizations, postures, and movements, producing corresponding emotional experiences and influencing subsequent behavior and cognition