Perceiver Strategy 79Notice how each fact is labeled right or wrong because it brings to
mind another fact which Perceiver strategy knows is either right or wrong.
Notice also how the string of questions ends with a „Because!‟ I suggest
that this illustrates the core challenge in programming Perceiver thought.
On the one hand, Perceiver strategy is not told which facts are true and
which are false—facts do not come with built-in knowing. On the other
hand, Perceiver thought can only operate by assuming that some facts are
true and that others are false—the big „Because!‟ In fact, it has been
proven logically that the need for absolutes, assumptions, or axioms is
universal. Mathematics itself has shown that every system of logic must
assume a certain set of core facts.
So why do we need absolutes? Why not live without them? First, what
are we going to do with the poor Perceiver person? After all, he lives in the
room which contains Perceiver thought. If we give up the search for
absolutes, we lock the door to the Perceiver „room,‟ board it up, and then,
in big red letters, scrawl „Condemned‟ on the plywood sheet nailed over
the entrance. How could we do that? Try telling an Exhorter person that he
may not get excited, or try denying love to a Mercy person. This obviously
is not going to work.
Second, I suggest that the human mind in fact always operates with
some set of absolutes. During the late twentieth century it has become
fashionable to elevate relativism and to question the existence of
absolutes—we put on an air of „free thinking‟ to complete the „look‟ of
bell bottoms, wide ties, leisure suits and platform shoes. However, seldom
have we lived in an environment with so many absolutes! We receive
„absolute‟ guarantees from manufacturers: “If you are not absolutely
satisfied with our product, we will refund your money without question.”
We are „absolutely‟ sure that government or science can solve all of our
problems. We are „absolutely‟ convinced that next year‟s product will be
new and improved. We are „absolutely‟ positive that we can go to the store
and find cereal, milk and cheese to buy. We have „absolute‟ confidence
that the little rectangles of printed wood pulp which we stick in our wallets
with so much pride can be exchanged for items of value. For a time, we
even became „absolutely certain‟ that there were no absolutes. If a person
came in from the jungle to observe our activity, he would be amazed at our
high level of belief.
Now, at the beginning of the millennium, as our absolutes of prosperity,
progress, guaranteed employment, civilized behavior, and „satisfaction or
your money back‟ are beginning to slip, we are becoming more aware of
our innate need for „absolutes.‟ Of course, maybe there really are no