308 A Programmer’s Guide to the Mind
coupons were rejected but money was accepted. The result would be a
paradigm shift. Facts would stay the same, but a novel way of linking them
would now come to the fore—a new general theory would be accepted.
That is the nice way to teach a new theory. The other option is the brute
force method, which also involves two steps.A The first destroys the old
theory. This leads to Teacher pain and intellectual hunger. Teacher strategy
will then feel driven emotionally to find a new general theory, which
brings us to the second step of replacing the old with something that is
novel.
There is a strong correspondence between these factors and similar
traits in Mercy strategy. First, notice how both Teacher and Mercy thinking
and feeling are heavily influenced by mental processing provided by other
modes of thought. Both Teacher and Mercy thought notice the effect of
this mental meddling, but they are unaware of its source.
Second, we have defined me as the set of Mercy memories on which
Mercy thought can continue to concentrate. Similarly, we can define a
general Teacher theory as a set of Teacher memories on which Teacher
thought can continue to concentrate. This general Teacher theory, as we
would expect from symmetry with the Mercy strategy, is often associated
with personal identity. Suppose an individual calls himself a carpenter,
dentist, or lawyer. This word provides a general Teacher theory on which
Teacher strategy can continue to concentrate. As long as the associated
person acts within his profession, Teacher thought in him can continue to
focus upon his theory.B
Third, Mercy strategy begins life by clutching on to any good
experience which it encounters. Similarly, Teacher thought starts thinking
by holding on to any general explanation which comes along. We saw this
illustrated by the role-playing behavior of the child. He may pretend to be a
fireman, a nurse, an astronaut, a mother, or a doctor. In each case, Teacher
thought in the child attempts to hold on to some potential comprehensive
theory of identity.
Finally, the two ways of acquiring a new general theory correspond to
the two methods of transforming me. First, there is the path of patience,
which is motivated by the possibility of good emotions. It starts by
building a new alternative while leaving the old unchanged. For Mercy
A This book is an example, so far at least, of „being nice.‟ Coming sections
cover these topics at a deeper level—they are therefore more compelling,
and consequently much more „Teacher nasty.‟
B There is therefore the potential for a me of Teacher thought. As you
might imagine, it also can experience transformation. This process
involves clarifying the distinction between universal Teacher
understanding and the Teacher theory which describes my personal
behavior.