But rounding a bend only leads temporarily to a straight path, there is always another curve, explains the psychologists. All of the life of a future type is spent dashing around the next bend.

Principal 4 is a future type, happier with his plans for breaking up future fights than the one that has materialized. If you are a future type, you might have looked at a course catalogue in college and found you lack a listed prerequisite for just the course you wanted to take.

Chances are you were always a little lost because you didn't have the prescribed background. Why does it have to be typed letter-perfect? You've always exclaimed when you handed in a paper.

You also inspire others with your ideas. If you are active in the local Citizen for Environment, you were the one that dreamed up the biggest fund-raising scheme in years. However, most likely someone else worked out the details because you are terribly impatient with them.

If the three psychologists are correct, we have a new tool for understanding on other. It will make it easier to get along with those who basically differ from us.

Dr. Osmond envisions a time when we could use the theory to aid in selecting the kind of politician best suited for the current problems.

If we are right, he explains, there is no such thing as a philosopher-king. You either get a philosopher with an interest in ruling or a king who enjoys philosophy, but you will never get a philosopher-king, it doesn't happen.