92 A Programmer’s Guide to the Mind
Whenever Perceiver thought places confidence in a fact, this connects
many isolated experiences within Mercy strategy—events from different
places and various times. For instance, think of the fact of a „car.‟ This set
of links can refer to a Cadillac in America, a Lada in Russia, a Toyota in
Japan, or even a buggy on the moon. All of these various places become
related by the single fact of a
„car.‟ The Perceiver fact of
„car‟ also ties together
individual experiences from
different times: A Model T of
the 1920s is just as much a
„car‟ as a Ford Mustang of the
1960s. And, we will probably
find that there continue to be
„cars‟ in the 21st Century.
If the label of Perceiver
confidence is related to repetition, then a fact with greater confidence will
obviously tie together more individual Mercy situations. In other words,
this fact will apply in more places and more times.A Following this logic, a
Perceiver absolute is simply a fact which can be applied in all places and at
all times.B For example, the fact of a „car‟ cannot be regarded as a true
absolute, because there were no cars before the end of the nineteenth
century, and though there are a few abandoned vehicles on the moon, you
will not find cars on any of the other planets. In contrast, the fact of an
„atom‟ appears to be much more universal. Everywhere you look, you see
evidence that atoms exist. Even the light which reaches our planet from a
distant star gives indication that the same types of atoms exist over there as
here.C
A When knowledge is limited, then Perceiver strategy tends to base
confidence in the possibility of contradiction. Specific facts will be
accepted with great confidence, because the chance of finding a
contradiction is very low. General theories, in contrast, will be believed
less strongly because the possibility of finding a counter-example is so
much greater. For example, an isolated fact about „the price of tea in
Shanghai, China in September of 1903,‟ will be accepted without
reservation. On the other hand, general statements about the mind or
personality will be questioned; Perceiver thought is certain that a
contradiction is bound to be found somewhere within the vast landscape of
experiences encompassed by so large a collection of facts.
B Or, as we said before, this set of connections is permanent. It does not
change, no matter what is examined.
C If a Perceiver absolute is related to repetition, then it should be easy for
Perceiver thought in a person to find absolutes, right? Wrong. As finite