More on Teacher Strategy 313„doorman‟ for Mercy thought is identification, while it is belief which
stands guard at the gate to the inner Perceiver world.
I suggest that the „watchman‟ which
presides over the entrance to the inner
Teacher world is understanding or
comprehension. Whenever I understand
something, a general theory moves into my
inner world of Teacher thought. The act of
comprehension admits that there is an order
which ties together the complexity which
inhabits my mind. If I understand what
someone is saying, then my internal Teacher
world has managed to make sense of all the
words which have just been spoken to me.
The parent may say to the child, “Do you
understand?” The sergeant may yell at the
private, “Do you understand?” The child may
ask his mother, “Do you understand?” In all
cases, the question is whether the appropriate general theory, composed in
this case of the string of words in a sentence, has made its way into the
inner world of Teacher thought.
This means that whenever a person makes a statement that a certain
topic is incomprehensible, impossible to understand, or beyond human
comprehension, then this indicates that the guard standing watch over the
door to his inner Teacher world is holding up its hand and refusing to allow
theories to enter. If, for instance, the religious person asserts that the ways
of God are beyond comprehension, then we can conclude that his internal
world of Teacher thought is rejecting general theories about God.
Theories enter the Teacher internal world through comprehension.
An incomprehensible theory is a contradiction in terms.
Contradictions make Teacher thought feel bad.Notice that there is a difference between the statement “This topic
cannot be understood,” and the complaint of “I do not understand.” In the
first situation, Teacher thought is trying to prevent a general theory from
entering into the internal world of thought. In the second instance, a
number of Teacher theories (namely individual words) have already made
their way into the inner room and Teacher strategy is having problems
fitting them together. The first is a statement of rejection, a way of
changing the subject. The second is a cry for help, and a plea for more
information.