KNOWING VERSUS `KNOWING'
I have suggested that approval 'conscience' and natural conscience do
not easily coexist. Actually, I suggest that any mental structure which is
held together with emotional 'truth' will always be at odds with other
mental networks which are connected by rational truth.
The reason for this is fairly simple: It is not possible for Perceiver
thought to be both mesmerized and wide awake at the same time. In order
to 'believe' an emotional 'fact,' Perceiver thought must be mesmerized into
accepting the arrangement of a specific Mercy situation as absolute 'truth.'
In contrast, believing rational truth requires Perceiver thought that is
sufficiently wide awake to notice which connections are repeated over time
or space.
A 'fact' which comes from Mercy emotion will only be 'known' to be
true when the emotion associated with that 'fact' is significantly greater
than the surrounding level of Perceiver confidence. If Mercy feeling drops,
or Perceiver confidence rises, then this 'fact' will start to be doubted—the
Perceiver observer will begin to awaken from its mental hypnotic trance.
For instance, suppose that a teacher tells a child that all elephants have red
toenails. The child who really respects his teacher will 'know' that this 'fact'
is 'true.' But if the Mercy emotion associated with the teacher drops, or if
the child learns more about elephants, then he will begin to doubt the 'fact'
from his teacher.
On the other hand, a fact which comes from Perceiver logic can only
survive as long as the level of Perceiver confidence is higher than the
strength of Mercy emotion. If the intensity of Mercy feeling reaches the
level of Perceiver confidence, then the Perceiver fact will begin to be
doubted—the Perceiver observer will be blinded by the brilliance of
feeling and become confused. Remember our example of “Do not steal.”
Increase the amount of money involved and there usually comes a point at
which Perceiver belief begins to waver.
The Threshold of Uncertainty
Notice that neither way of knowing will work when Mercy emotion is
only a little stronger than Perceiver confidence: Mercy feeling is not large
enough for emotional 'knowing' to operate, and Perceiver confidence is not
strong enough for Perceiver logic to work. This is the situation in which
the Perceiver observer is half awake. It is not sufficiently hypnotized to
swallow 'facts' without thinking, and it is not sufficiently awake to think
clearly. I will refer to this intermediate state as the threshold of uncertainty.