Sorry for the Delay

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last week or so.  I haven't been feeling too good so I haven't been on the computer as much as I normally would.  Hopefully, I will be back posting at least a couple of times a week again now.

I have been reading some of the Church of the SubGenuis publications and they are a total revelation.  Having studied Philosophy at university, I have read a reasonable amount of several holy books.  They tend to talk in parables and riddles and are open to many interpretations.  Not so with the Church of the SubGenius!  They tell it as it is - like it or not.

So, continue to get ready for the day the Flying Saucers arrive to rupture away those who follow the words of "Bob".  It may be sooner than you think!

Sit back and watch.  When the time comes, simply do what you feel you should do!  Please note disclaimer: By watching this video, you release the producer from any liability resulting from any hypnotic trance you may enter

What does it mean to KNOW ?

We were going to discuss what it means to know something.  There is a fairly well established philosophical definition which we might as well look at first.  The first important aspect of knowledge is belief.  If you don't believe something is true then you can't know it.  To take an example;  If you know that Apollo 11 put the first men on the Moon in 1969, then it follows that you believe that the landings took place and aren't one of the complete kooks that doubt the facts.  The reverse is also true.  If you don't believe America went to the Moon, you can't say that you know that Aldrin and Armstrong set foot on the Moon in 1969.

Obviously belief isn't the only thing necessary aspect of knowledge.   A person might believe in unicorns, but it doesn't follow that they know that there are unicorns in reality.  For something to count as knowledge, it must be true.  We can believe in things that aren't real but knowledge requires truth.  There is one special case that needs to be considered here.  We can know things about a fictional character.  We can say that we know the address of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes is Baker Street London.  Even though Sherlock Holmes does not exist, we can know facts taken from the story.  In the fictional world, these facts are true within the story.  It is still the case that to know these things they need to be true, at least in the world we are talking about.

So, we have true belief.  Does this work as a definition of what it is to know something?  Let's test it out with an example.  If I said I knew that you the reader have 7 coins in your left pocket I might by pure luck, be right.  But could I really claim that I knew this?  Based on the definition of knowledge above I could say that I believed that you had 7 coins in your left pocket and it is true.  But when we say we know something we mean more than a lucky guess.  Something else needs to be added to the definition.

In the example we just looked at there is obviously something missing.  There was no reason for my belief that you have 7 coins in your pocket, regardless of whether I was right or not.  If I had secretly managed to count the coins earlier, then my claim that I knew you had 7 coins would be more reasonable.  I would have been justified in my belief and that belief would also have been true.

And so we reach the traditional philosophical definition of knowledge as being a justified true belief.  Next time we will look at a possible problem with this definition. 

Reason to be Worried - Part 1

Before continuing on with my theme of knowledge and Slack and other such important matters, I though I would have a little aside....

Pop the reality cork on the wonder of the world and see how far the inners fly when the pressure is released.  You feel the pressure?  Do you?  In these days of hard times and uncertainty what should we do to cope?  How can we get through to the other side of this reality land slip?

First rule is keep you head up high, because they are looking for those that are trying to sneak past by slinking along the ground.  They see everywhere and hear everything.  Each word you type is sent to the main Head Quarters to be worked over and analysed  - recorded and dissected.  Your master file is updated each and every time you send an email or post a status update.  Every time you talk to your friends through an Instant Message....... They know. 

Then, when you step outside the house they are there waiting for you.  Not in the flesh (at least not always) but there behind the cameras.  There are the obvious ones that were installed for our "safety" during the last decade or so.  But they are not the ones you should worry about.  It is the tiny invisible-to-the-naked-eye cameras that you should really worry you.  They are everywhere.  Don't be paranoid - be a realist!     

What do you know?

Back to the point dear friends - Back to the point.  And what is the point?  You want to know?  You think  you are ready to know?  The trouble is once you do know there is no turning back.  No way to unknow what you now know.  Rather, there is no easy way to unknow what you have learnt.  I am sure that through some sort of radical cranial surgery, you might be able to unlearn some of the things that you have come across.  But, do you want to risk a surgeon taking a knife to the old grey matter, just to get rid of an idea that you could have avoided in the first place?  Why not just leave now?  You probably aren't missing anything that important.  Nothing that your life might depend on come the day.

But what do we mean by "know" anyway?  What is the difference between knowing and not knowing?  Or believing?  What does the line get drawn.  Stop and think about that for a moment.  Go on, I'll post the rest of this tomorrow so you are less tempted to read on without stopping to think..... (to be continued)

From Oxfordshire (UK) ?,

Greetings All,

I was rather please to find that this very blog has been listed on the Official SubGenius Contacts page in the "Clenches & Schisms" sections.  It got me wondering if there are any other members of the Church in this area?  There must be other people around here that have heard the word of "Bob" whose number is 13013?

If so, please leave a comment below.

Thank you.

Money Back Guarantee!

So, what have I been up to over the last day or two?  I have been studying and learning more about the wonder that is the Church of the SubGenius.  When "Bob" Dobbs built himself a television,  he received the most important message ever to be seen on a TV set!

http://www.subgenius.com/index.htm

I hope you take the time to stop by and learn the truth about Slack yourself.  "Bob" can save you and is the only Religious organisation to offer a money back guarantee,

Come back soon for some wonderful news from "BOB" 

Words of Wisdom.

Today it came to my attention that
 
"In the beginning there was lots of things. Some of the things were rather good but many were rather bad. The great sorter began the task of sorting the beginning from the others and the ends were found which is necessary in order to untangle anything."

The Church of the SubGenius

And is came to pass that the blog of the Congregation of "The New Broom" right here in jolly old England was created.  With a little luck the sometimes and always Bob shall look down upon this blog and smile and be as happy as Bob with the results.

I intend to use this very blog to spread the word and also to post my SubGenius Sermons so they might enjoy a wider readership, rather that just those who run past when I scream these words on random street corners.  So, why not check back in from time to time to see what wise words lay before you?  In fact you can also subscribe for email alerts so you need never miss another post.

Remember Slack is.