Your reply, John, concerning the variability of assumptions, the necessity
to understand another's framework and experience, and the possibiliity of
creative results from differences brought to mind a Sufi "teaching story"
I read (from Idras Shah, most likely).
Mulla Nasrudin, the "holy fool" was appointed to fill in for a judge when
he was ill. At the trial the complaintent stood up and vigorously
presented her case to the Mulla. When she finished, he nodded and said, "I
believe you are right!". Thereupon the court clerk jumped up and said to
the Mulla, "You can't say that now, you haven't heard the defendent!!" So
the defendent was able to plead his case and at the end of it the Mulla
said again, "I beleive that you are right!" At that point the clerk jumped
up again in exasperation, saying, "No, no, no, you _can't_ tell them both
that they are right!!" Whereupon the Mulla nodded again and said, "I
believe that you are right!"
With apologies for my faulty memory of the _actual_ story, I offer this as
another way of conveying something of related to your insight...
Thanks for reminding me,
-- Tobin quereau@austin.cc.tx.us