On my recent Asian swing, one of the books I read was Charles Stross’s The Jennifer Morgue, part of his Laundry novels series. The conceit in these novels is that performing certain calculations opens up doors to other universes, where unpleasant things lurk — you didn’t believe the cover story about Alan Turing, did you? And it contains passages like this:Show of hands boys and NonPerkIns....Professor O’Brien speaks the language and is qualified to liaise. She’s also completed her certification in combat epistemology and can operate as your staff philosopher, should circumstances require it.I love it. So it’s great to learn that there’s another Laundry novel coming.
[ cf Epistemological combat ]
what is the name for it when a citizen engages with a FerrignDevil to reveal TOP SECRET MILITARY PLANS????
Can we as americans ALLOW mere civilians access to COMBAT GRADE EPISTEMOLOGY????