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John Purnell's avatar

While the innermost circle is the self, the diagram is not self-centered -- the self is at the bottom and the diagram expands upwards out outwards. What is most inward is not most central. Wonderful!

This is one of the most effective sections for me. I like the pairing of two exercises: one behavioral and the other meditative. The combination of Stoic and Buddhist perspectives sets up a resonance. Theory and practice become connected, my little circle of concern expands into a natural feeling openness and calmness. This is a powerful antidote to the poisoning divisiveness being served up in our current politics.

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Vivian Baruch's avatar

Hierocles' (c 430 AD) model is a comprehensive way to look at our expanding levels of concern in the maturation process of our moral development. It's a key pillar of Buddhist philosophy (mid 6th century BCE), which, as Peter Singer says, may expand out to include all sentient beings. I wonder if Singer (1975) & psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner influenced each other, or if it's another instance of the multiple simultaneous innovations in history? In the 1970's, Bronfenbrenner formulated the bioecological model of human development (https://www.structural-learning.com/post/bronfenbrenners-ecological-model) which

changed the field of developmental science by positing the interrelated systems and mutual interactions shaping human growth and behavior.

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