Chapter 11
The more Kostya read these sheets of paper, the more astonished he became. Everything written there seemed to him so logical and real that he thought perhaps it belonged to one of the doctors. "Doctors of science!" Until he had read it through to the end, he could not tear himself away from what turned out to be the statute of some society.
This statute would henceforth deprive our hero of sleep, transforming his views on life. It would be fitting to reproduce this statute here in full, without omitting or altering a single word. The original version of the document, which Konstantin now held in his hands, appeared precisely thus:
Statute of the Organization of Representatives of Healthy Skepticism (ORHS)
Section I "Principal Concepts of ORHS"
The Statute of ORHS is the principal document regulating the activities of ORHS; its amendment and modification occurs only by decision of the ORHS assembly.
ORHS Assemblies are meetings of representatives of healthy skepticism, the timing of which is determined by the Magister of ORHS. At assemblies, various decisions regarding ORHS activities are adopted.
Decision of the ORHS Assembly is a documented innovation to the ORHS statute or other outcome of an assembly.
Magister of ORHS is the person at the head of the organization, elected by its members, whose leadership lasts five years from the moment of election.
Counselor of ORHS is a former Magister of ORHS.
Heads of ORHS Departments are specialists in particular scientific fields.
Illuminati are persons belonging to ORHS with access to protected information. The Illuminati constitute a secret society within ORHS.
ORHS Finances are monetary relations connected with the formation and distribution of monetary income, accumulations, and their utilization for various purposes of ORHS.
ORHS Investigations are actions of the organization directed toward exposing pseudoscientific theories, mystical adventures, or supernatural manifestations of nature.
ORHS Investigation Commissioner is a member of the organization selected at an assembly to conduct an ORHS investigation, whose duties include exposing pseudoscientific theories, mystical adventures, or supernatural manifestations of nature. At the conclusion of the investigation, the commissioner must describe its results in a document entitled "ORHS Investigation Outcome."
Presumption of Possibility is an unprejudiced attitude toward the mystical and supernatural, an admission of the possibility of such phenomena until the supernatural occurrence has been completely refuted.
Section II "Memorandum for the Representative of Sound Skepticism"
A person joining the Organization of Representatives of Sound Skepticism undertakes to play an active role in the life of the organization and to participate in its official assemblies. A member of ORHS is recommended to choose a specialty of knowledge and follow the latest news in that field, summarizing findings in a designated section of the ORHS monthly report. A member of ORHS must participate in the search for and exposure of the mystical and supernatural if the organization has appointed that member as one of the ORHS investigation commissioners. At the conclusion of an investigation, the ORHS investigation commissioner composes a document entitled "ORHS Investigation Outcome," following all the rules of its composition as described in the chapter "ORHS Documents and Reports" of the present statute. In accordance with the principal tenets of the organization, a member of ORHS must be free from prejudices of any kind, and must also observe the Presumption of Possibility, which distinguishes the representative of sound skepticism from the representative of classical skepticism.
Section III "ORHS Hierarchy"
Important decisions and amendments to the statute are adopted by vote at ORHS assemblies. An ORHS assembly is considered valid in the presence of the head of ORHS (Magister), former heads of ORHS (Counselors), and heads of ORHS departments. ORHS decisions are formalized in written form with the signature of the head of ORHS. ORHS decisions may not be contested by individual members. In case an urgent assembly is impossible, the decision is made by the Head of ORHS, for the consequences of which he bears personal responsibility. At assemblies, the vote of the Magister counts as two votes; the vote of a Counselor counts as three votes.
At the head of the organization stands a person elected by the members of the organization through voting once every five years. He assumes the rank of Magister of ORHS. His duties include overseeing the functioning of the organization, control over finances, control over the timely submission of reports and other ORHS documents, their verification and signature, as well as the adoption of various other decisions when an ORHS assembly is impossible. After the reelection of a Magister, the former Magister becomes a Counselor.
Heads of ORHS departments are appointed by the Magister of ORHS. The heads of ORHS departments are specialists in particular scientific fields. They are obligated to review articles, essays, and other works by members of the organization in their specialty, affixing their signature to such works.
ORHS Illuminati are persons belonging to ORHS with access to protected information. The Illuminati constitute a secret society within ORHS. The Illuminati comprise Counselors, the current Magister, heads of ORHS departments, and certain representatives of ORHS selected by the secret assembly of ORHS Illuminati.
Section IV "Internal and External Functions of ORHS"
External functions of the organization:
1. The search for inexplicable situations and phenomena with the aim of scientific explanation.
The organization seeks references to supernatural manifestations in society and mass media. Once such a manifestation is found, at organizational assemblies ORHS commissioners are selected who will conduct investigations into the causes of the paranormal phenomenon from a scientific perspective. The results of such an investigation are reflected in a report entitled "ORHS Investigation Outcome." The outcomes of ORHS investigations are reflected at the end of the month in the ORHS monthly internal report.
2. Warning people against possible deceptions and various adventures connected with mysticism. Reducing the role of various beliefs and superstitions in people's lives.
Certain members of the organization holding the appropriate ORHS license conduct educational lectures on philosophy, logic, and sound skepticism for the public.
3. Verification of scientific discoveries and hypotheses for their scientific validity, to avoid misallocated financing of experiments.
The organization verifies certain theories and hypotheses of a scientist or group of scientists seeking government financing for compliance with official science. After verification, in case of the discovery's compliance with official science, a document is composed entitled "Act of Compliance of Hypotheses, Theories, and Discoveries with Official Science," sealed with the signatures of the Magister and heads of ORHS departments. This document allows the government to finance the verified project without hesitation.
4. Attempts to create a universal language among specialists of different scientific fields, as well as efforts toward the maximum popularization of science.
Representatives of ORHS comprising various specialists engage in the search for a universal language. They write works on the popularization of science with the aim of conveying complex scientific theories to society. Members follow the latest scientific news and compose "ORHS monthly reports."
5. Administration of examinations and issuance of ORHS licenses, which grant a member of ORHS the right to deliver private lectures in a particular specialty or science.
To obtain an ORHS license, a member of the organization takes an examination in the presence of the Magister and three heads of ORHS departments, among whom is present a specialist in the science in which the ORHS member wishes to be examined.
Internal functions of the organization:
1. Enlightenment and general development of internal subjects of the organization.
The organization conducts internal lectures, discusses various scientific and non-scientific problems; members write essays, reflections, and thoughts, which are presented at assemblies.
2. The search for possibly existing genuine supernatural phenomena.
The secret activity of the organization consists in the search for possible genuine manifestations of supernatural forces. Therefore, participants of the organization must remember the Presumption of Possibility.
3. Obtaining certain financial income.
The organization also conducts, when possible, financial activities described in the section "ORHS Finances" of the present statute.
Section V "ORHS Finances"
Possible sources of organizational income:
— government financing.
— payment for compliance investigations of theories, discoveries with official science.
— payment for the monthly ORHS journal publication.
— payment for lectures to the public on the popularization of science.
— payment for private lectures by ORHS members.
— payment from the public for ORHS services in investigating certain supernatural phenomena.
— royalties from book publications by ORHS members.
Section VI "ORHS Documents and Reports"
ORHS Investigation Outcome — a document (report) composed by the ORHS investigation commissioner or commissioners, in which the results of the investigation are described, along with evidence of the refuted supernatural phenomenon or the non-compliance of pseudoscientific theories with the general laws of official science.
ORHS Monthly Report — a document composed of two parts and a conclusion. The first part contains a brief survey of monthly scientific news. The second part contains the outcomes of monthly ORHS investigations. The conclusion contains a plan of possible future actions of the organization.
ORHS Journal Publication — a journal issued by the organization once a month containing science news, fruits of the popularization of science, skeptical articles, and certain theories and hypotheses of representatives of the organization.
Act of Compliance of Hypotheses, Theories, and Discoveries with Official Science — a document issued by ORHS after verification of the compliance of hypotheses, theories, and discoveries with official science. This Act grants one or several persons the right to government financing for the purpose of conducting an experiment or inventing new technologies.
ORHS License — an authoritative document proving the competence of an ORHS member in a particular science and permitting the ORHS member to deliver private lectures in that science on behalf of the organization.
Supplementary Section VII "Powers of the Illuminati"
Every Illuminatus must be conscious of the relativity of all human "truths." The ORHS Illuminati constitute a secret organization within ORHS. The functions of the internal organization of ORHS Illuminati consist in:
— discussion of any ideas without the oppression of stereotypes, prejudices, moral or ethical prescriptions.
— decision-making regarding the legitimacy of disclosing certain results of ORHS research.
— seeking ways to improve the financial activities of ORHS and increase the organization's influence.
— ideas for improving the general social order and the lives of people in general.
Konstantin reread the contents of the sheets twice. In a state approaching shock or stupor, he slowly laid the manuscript on the table. He took two sips of the now-cold coffee. "What is this? Who are the Illuminati?" Kostya did not quite understand why the final section of the statute was needed. But from somewhere he knew precisely what he had to do and where to seek the necessary information. "First I must find out who wrote this statute and how it came to be in the madhouse." He decided he would tell all of this to Henry as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
Until evening Kostya did not hear what his family said to him; all his thoughts were still on the recently read document. He slept poorly; he dreamed of this society. The dream was so realistic that, waking at four o'clock in the morning, he did not immediately understand that he was still merely the administrator of a wretched little shop. In the dream, they had hailed him as Magister of ORHS.