A

Knowing versus 'Knowing' 185

The same process can operate in reverse. Human thinking, for example,
has always been considered as part of the realm of the subjective. However,
with the advent of brain imaging technology, our very thoughts have
become the topic of objective research.
The history of western civilization shows that this mixture is rather
explosive. On the one hand, we want mental life. Therefore, we continually
develop new technologies which allow us to bridge the gap between
subjective and objective. On the other hand, we want to avoid triggering
feelings of personal inadequacy. Therefore, we reinforce the mental
divisions between subjective and objective, and suppress those who either
question or discuss the faultlines which pervade our existence.

Approval and Natural Conscience

Continuing now with our quest for life, we have seen that emotional
'facts' and logical facts are mutually incompatible. Building up the one will
automatically tear down the other. This is because the Perceiver observer
cannot be both asleep and awake at the same time.A We have also found
out that these two types of facts lead to two different forms of conscience:
Emotional 'facts' create approval 'conscience,' while logical facts build
natural conscience. If there is an irreconcilable conflict between 'facts' and
facts, then one would expect a similar incompatibility between approval
'conscience' and natural conscience. I suggest that this is precisely what
does occur.
The main
difference between
natural conscience
and approval
'conscience' is that
the former is based
in the „hardware‟ of
the natural world
while the latter
comes from the
„software‟ of
people.B This has several consequences. First, the rules of natural
conscience do not change, because they are rooted in hardware. The law of
gravity, for example, does not vary from day to day. It keeps on operating

A Here is a piece of neurological trivia. Did you know that dolphins can

sleep with only half of their brains at a time? While one side is asleep, the
other half is still awake.
B I told you, earlier, that we would expand our definition of approval

conscience. Here it is.

Natural

Conscience

Approval

Conscience