Dusting off the Brianism documents
Oct 1, 2017 1:04:57 GMT -6
Ián B. Anglatzarâ, C. Carlüs Xheraltescù, and 1 more like this
Post by Sir X. Pol Briga on Oct 1, 2017 1:04:57 GMT -6
On the Facebook Wittenberg, there was an inquiry about various aspects of Talossa, including religions
For reference, just thought I would post the tenets of Brianism, since there has been a coven on Cézembre since 14 Nov 2005
Brianism is based on seven pillars, or principles, revealed in the first seven verses of the Book of Brian. They are:
Intelligence
Rationality
Propagation
Environment
Evolution
Knowledge
Heritage
Intelligence
Brian teaches us that the the preservation and continuation of intelligent life is the most important thing in the universe. If intelligent life is extinguished then, as Brian tells us, 'the rest is just physics'. Since we do not know if there is intelligent life anywhere else, we must err on the safe side and assume mankind is unique. We therefore have a great responsibility to preserve our own existence and, in time, propagate throughout the universe.
In Brianism this is known as the Prime Directive.
Preserve the mind. This absolute instruction is the Prime Directive. We may be on our own amongst all the stars. If so, our responsibility to husband the spark of intelligent life is infinite and all other considerations secondary.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 1
Rationality
Brianists do not believe anything for irrational reasons. Brianists firmly reject the ancient mumbo-jumbo of conventional religions and the foolish creations of pseudo-science. Brianists apply careful thought and the scientific method to any proposition before accepting it. This does not mean Brianists reject speculation, fiction or fantasy, but they do not confuse them with established fact.
Wisdom brings respect. Those who lack wisdom but crave its rewards may be tempted to invent scientific or supernatural falsehoods. At best this is a pathetic cry for attention; at worst, it can be a criminal action designed to extract money, sex or obedience from the gullible.
Think for yourself. Do not believe what is not proven. Tell stories, deduce and speculate, but understand what is true. Beware the influence of people who promote seductive falsehoods, whether from gullibility or to further their own ends.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 2
Propagation
To preserve intelligent life in the universe, we must eventually spread to other worlds, systems, galaxies or perhaps even dimensions. We may be the only intelligent life that will ever be - so having all our eggs in the one basket of a single habitable planet is very risky. This is of course a long-term goal and the immediate propagation of Brianism depends upon the conversion and retention of Brianists.
Spread the word. Interstellar propagation depends on the majority will. We need to go much farther than our single world. This is a long term goal, but there is a lot to be done before we are ready.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 3
Environment
To comply with the Prime Directive it is necessary to preserve the environment that supports our existence. Brianists take a longer view than most, so as well as the usual environmental concerns, Brianists are also interested in methods of preserving life on Earth in the distant future. For instance when the sun becomes too hot for us to survive (by changing the Earth's orbit), dealing with the degradation of the Y chromosome, diverting dangerous comets and asteroids, handling the eventual collision of our galaxy with another and, in the deep future, with the possible entropy end-state of the universe. These are mostly distant problems, but the challenges are extreme, so it is best to start thinking about possible solutions and technologies as soon as we can.
Brianists are pragmatic environmentalists who appreciate that tradeoffs may be required between immediate traditional environmental aims and the development of the technologies needed to deal with long-term environmental problems. Furthermore, to prevent the collapse of technical civilization and in the absence of any current workable alternative, it is for now necessary to preserve the current industrial-economic model. It is inevitable that this model will cause some environmental damage. The Brianist aim is to minimize this damage and strike a sensible balance that gives the optimum outcome in terms of the Primary Directive.
Preserve the environment. Now, and in the far distant future. Do not be blind to the threats of orbital mechanics. Strive to achieve the best possible balance between environmental preservation, economic imperative and the development of new technologies.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 4
Evolution
To progress very far beyond our current achievements our evolution must continue. In the past the main forces that thinned-out undesirable genetic traits were disease, weather, food-supply and wild beasts. These forces are now much reduced thanks to modern technologies and the destruction of the environment.
The evolutionary model has now changed. Diseases and animals that were once confined to certain locations are now transferred instantly between continents by modern transportation systems. Populations are mobile. People whom evolution optimized for certain climatic and dietary conditions have now lived for many generations in very different places. Pollution and technology kill more people than wild beasts. (If the car lasts long enough, will we evolve to be better drivers?)
On the evolutionary scale, all the above changes have happened in the blink of eye. We may not be evolving fast enough to keep up with our technology.
Two possible ways to speed up evolution are GM (Genetic Modification) and AI (Artificial Intelligence). GM is very dangerous since undesirable creations might thrive in the natural environment. On the other hand, it is desirable that the technology be fully understood. It may be our salvation in case of a sudden and unexpected environmental change. AI currently presents more of a moral challenge than a danger. There may be individual catastrophes, but the artificially-supportive environment that early AI's would require would be too vulnerable for them to run amuck. True AI does not yet exist, but may not be so far away. There may be AI's within the lifetime of babies now alive. We do not yet have a moral system to deal with AI's. Brian tells us that they could be our equals, with the same rights and obligations as human beings. We should not treat them the way the White races once treated the Black races.
Silicon-based AI's have certain advantages for deep-space travel. They could be shut down for prolonged periods. They could feed on raw energy. Their main weakness is that with currently predictable technology it is hard to see how they could easily reproduce. Reproducing even a single transistor from scratch in a bare environment requires enormous work. A cellular animal can divide in a muddy puddle. Crossover technologies may be the answer. Copy and paste a human mind into silicon hardware, or run operating system based software in a biological computer.
Continue to evolve. Technology is starting to outrun the mind. Evolution is not what it was in the recent past. If you make a machine in the likeness of a human mind, you must give it its due.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 5
Knowledge
Knowledge is the key to power and progress. Brian tells us that wisdom is not just a matter of gathering information. We should also be able to process and understand that information.
Knowledge passes from one generation to the next, and the efficient transfer of this information is very important.
The second sentence of the verse recognizes there is a limitation to the amount of knowledge a single individual can acquire in a lifetime. (Compare this with the second sentence of verse 5 of this sura.) There was a time when scientific knowledge was so limited that one person could comprehend it in its entirety. Even as recently as Victorian times, there were literally single individuals who had a working knowledge of entire disciplines. Human knowledge is now so broad that a single person can only hope to have a complete understanding of certain restricted areas, and a superficial understanding of the rest.
In many disciplines it is necessary to learn your way to the cutting-edge before further meaningful research can be done. As human knowledge increases, this is something that is taking longer and longer. Eventually, a human lifespan may not be sufficient time. Technology is starting to outrun the human mind and we may need to consider artificial intelligence and genetic modification.
Increase your wisdom. Acquire as much information as you can. Remember you should also be able to think and imagine. Teachers are blessed, so you should pass on your knowledge to as many people as possible, especially children.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 6
Heritage
Brian tells us that we are still controlled by our evolved primate instincts. It is very likely that the original proto-humans lived in small tribes, similar in social structure to chimpanzee or gorilla groups. The structure of these groups resembles a pyramid, with a single controlling individual, (almost invariably male) at the top, and layers of increasing number but decreasing authority below.
Brian teaches us that almost all human organizational structures result from the imposition of this conceptual pyramid. For instance we have companies with a CEO, ships with a captain, families with Dad (or single Mum as pseudo-Dad), Countries with Head of State etc. etc. This is known as Pyramid Theory and is a very important concept in Brianism.
Brian tells us that the human need for God is a result of imposing the pyramid structure on the universe. Early humans could easily see that they were near the bottom of the supposed universal pyramid, so it was obvious to them that there must be somebody at the top. They viewed the universe as a big troop of primates, the highest organizational structure they knew, with God as the silverback.
Brian tells us to question (N.B. not reject) the pyramid. There are things wrong with the pyramid - for instance the way it tends to prevent women from achieving positions of worth and superiority, but it is so ingrained in the human mind that it is very difficult to form meaningful organizational structures without it. For comfort, we should work within the rough pyramid structure (even committees need a chairman, or confusion will reign) but be aware of its shortcomings.
Brian tells us not to forget the better parts of our human heritage. We should never become unfeeling creatures of pure cold logic. We should remember our traditions, enjoy our music and poetry, laugh and cry. Even though we should have a rational belief system, we still need to keep our ceremonies and rituals.
Question the pyramid. We are confined by our primate origins. But there is much in our heritage that is good. Ceremony and ritual are an evolved need that must be met if we are to survive and prosper.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 7
For reference, just thought I would post the tenets of Brianism, since there has been a coven on Cézembre since 14 Nov 2005
Brianism is based on seven pillars, or principles, revealed in the first seven verses of the Book of Brian. They are:
Intelligence
Rationality
Propagation
Environment
Evolution
Knowledge
Heritage
Intelligence
Brian teaches us that the the preservation and continuation of intelligent life is the most important thing in the universe. If intelligent life is extinguished then, as Brian tells us, 'the rest is just physics'. Since we do not know if there is intelligent life anywhere else, we must err on the safe side and assume mankind is unique. We therefore have a great responsibility to preserve our own existence and, in time, propagate throughout the universe.
In Brianism this is known as the Prime Directive.
Preserve the mind. This absolute instruction is the Prime Directive. We may be on our own amongst all the stars. If so, our responsibility to husband the spark of intelligent life is infinite and all other considerations secondary.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 1
Rationality
Brianists do not believe anything for irrational reasons. Brianists firmly reject the ancient mumbo-jumbo of conventional religions and the foolish creations of pseudo-science. Brianists apply careful thought and the scientific method to any proposition before accepting it. This does not mean Brianists reject speculation, fiction or fantasy, but they do not confuse them with established fact.
Wisdom brings respect. Those who lack wisdom but crave its rewards may be tempted to invent scientific or supernatural falsehoods. At best this is a pathetic cry for attention; at worst, it can be a criminal action designed to extract money, sex or obedience from the gullible.
Think for yourself. Do not believe what is not proven. Tell stories, deduce and speculate, but understand what is true. Beware the influence of people who promote seductive falsehoods, whether from gullibility or to further their own ends.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 2
Propagation
To preserve intelligent life in the universe, we must eventually spread to other worlds, systems, galaxies or perhaps even dimensions. We may be the only intelligent life that will ever be - so having all our eggs in the one basket of a single habitable planet is very risky. This is of course a long-term goal and the immediate propagation of Brianism depends upon the conversion and retention of Brianists.
Spread the word. Interstellar propagation depends on the majority will. We need to go much farther than our single world. This is a long term goal, but there is a lot to be done before we are ready.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 3
Environment
To comply with the Prime Directive it is necessary to preserve the environment that supports our existence. Brianists take a longer view than most, so as well as the usual environmental concerns, Brianists are also interested in methods of preserving life on Earth in the distant future. For instance when the sun becomes too hot for us to survive (by changing the Earth's orbit), dealing with the degradation of the Y chromosome, diverting dangerous comets and asteroids, handling the eventual collision of our galaxy with another and, in the deep future, with the possible entropy end-state of the universe. These are mostly distant problems, but the challenges are extreme, so it is best to start thinking about possible solutions and technologies as soon as we can.
Brianists are pragmatic environmentalists who appreciate that tradeoffs may be required between immediate traditional environmental aims and the development of the technologies needed to deal with long-term environmental problems. Furthermore, to prevent the collapse of technical civilization and in the absence of any current workable alternative, it is for now necessary to preserve the current industrial-economic model. It is inevitable that this model will cause some environmental damage. The Brianist aim is to minimize this damage and strike a sensible balance that gives the optimum outcome in terms of the Primary Directive.
Preserve the environment. Now, and in the far distant future. Do not be blind to the threats of orbital mechanics. Strive to achieve the best possible balance between environmental preservation, economic imperative and the development of new technologies.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 4
Evolution
To progress very far beyond our current achievements our evolution must continue. In the past the main forces that thinned-out undesirable genetic traits were disease, weather, food-supply and wild beasts. These forces are now much reduced thanks to modern technologies and the destruction of the environment.
The evolutionary model has now changed. Diseases and animals that were once confined to certain locations are now transferred instantly between continents by modern transportation systems. Populations are mobile. People whom evolution optimized for certain climatic and dietary conditions have now lived for many generations in very different places. Pollution and technology kill more people than wild beasts. (If the car lasts long enough, will we evolve to be better drivers?)
On the evolutionary scale, all the above changes have happened in the blink of eye. We may not be evolving fast enough to keep up with our technology.
Two possible ways to speed up evolution are GM (Genetic Modification) and AI (Artificial Intelligence). GM is very dangerous since undesirable creations might thrive in the natural environment. On the other hand, it is desirable that the technology be fully understood. It may be our salvation in case of a sudden and unexpected environmental change. AI currently presents more of a moral challenge than a danger. There may be individual catastrophes, but the artificially-supportive environment that early AI's would require would be too vulnerable for them to run amuck. True AI does not yet exist, but may not be so far away. There may be AI's within the lifetime of babies now alive. We do not yet have a moral system to deal with AI's. Brian tells us that they could be our equals, with the same rights and obligations as human beings. We should not treat them the way the White races once treated the Black races.
Silicon-based AI's have certain advantages for deep-space travel. They could be shut down for prolonged periods. They could feed on raw energy. Their main weakness is that with currently predictable technology it is hard to see how they could easily reproduce. Reproducing even a single transistor from scratch in a bare environment requires enormous work. A cellular animal can divide in a muddy puddle. Crossover technologies may be the answer. Copy and paste a human mind into silicon hardware, or run operating system based software in a biological computer.
Continue to evolve. Technology is starting to outrun the mind. Evolution is not what it was in the recent past. If you make a machine in the likeness of a human mind, you must give it its due.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 5
Knowledge
Knowledge is the key to power and progress. Brian tells us that wisdom is not just a matter of gathering information. We should also be able to process and understand that information.
Knowledge passes from one generation to the next, and the efficient transfer of this information is very important.
The second sentence of the verse recognizes there is a limitation to the amount of knowledge a single individual can acquire in a lifetime. (Compare this with the second sentence of verse 5 of this sura.) There was a time when scientific knowledge was so limited that one person could comprehend it in its entirety. Even as recently as Victorian times, there were literally single individuals who had a working knowledge of entire disciplines. Human knowledge is now so broad that a single person can only hope to have a complete understanding of certain restricted areas, and a superficial understanding of the rest.
In many disciplines it is necessary to learn your way to the cutting-edge before further meaningful research can be done. As human knowledge increases, this is something that is taking longer and longer. Eventually, a human lifespan may not be sufficient time. Technology is starting to outrun the human mind and we may need to consider artificial intelligence and genetic modification.
Increase your wisdom. Acquire as much information as you can. Remember you should also be able to think and imagine. Teachers are blessed, so you should pass on your knowledge to as many people as possible, especially children.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 6
Heritage
Brian tells us that we are still controlled by our evolved primate instincts. It is very likely that the original proto-humans lived in small tribes, similar in social structure to chimpanzee or gorilla groups. The structure of these groups resembles a pyramid, with a single controlling individual, (almost invariably male) at the top, and layers of increasing number but decreasing authority below.
Brian teaches us that almost all human organizational structures result from the imposition of this conceptual pyramid. For instance we have companies with a CEO, ships with a captain, families with Dad (or single Mum as pseudo-Dad), Countries with Head of State etc. etc. This is known as Pyramid Theory and is a very important concept in Brianism.
Brian tells us that the human need for God is a result of imposing the pyramid structure on the universe. Early humans could easily see that they were near the bottom of the supposed universal pyramid, so it was obvious to them that there must be somebody at the top. They viewed the universe as a big troop of primates, the highest organizational structure they knew, with God as the silverback.
Brian tells us to question (N.B. not reject) the pyramid. There are things wrong with the pyramid - for instance the way it tends to prevent women from achieving positions of worth and superiority, but it is so ingrained in the human mind that it is very difficult to form meaningful organizational structures without it. For comfort, we should work within the rough pyramid structure (even committees need a chairman, or confusion will reign) but be aware of its shortcomings.
Brian tells us not to forget the better parts of our human heritage. We should never become unfeeling creatures of pure cold logic. We should remember our traditions, enjoy our music and poetry, laugh and cry. Even though we should have a rational belief system, we still need to keep our ceremonies and rituals.
Question the pyramid. We are confined by our primate origins. But there is much in our heritage that is good. Ceremony and ritual are an evolved need that must be met if we are to survive and prosper.
The Book of Brian. Sura 1, Verse 7