(Taken from the Scrolls of Luther, Gorean Epistemology #74)

First Knowledge

The general and somewhat limited education made available to the lower castes of Gor, such as the Peasants; It is practical, if occasionally deliberately over simplified and erroneous.

Second Knowledge

The superior education made available to the higher castes of Gor. It is more accurate and esoteric and includes knowledge of the existence of earth

Third Knowledge

On Gor, it is the power to comprehend the existence and practices; mainly the way of both planets. This includes the knowledge and methods of the Priest-Kings and the relationships between the inhabitants of the worlds.


Or to U/us who are here VT and RT, it is the power within each to balance the knowledge and to know the difference

In plain English We are who we are

Double Knowledge

The Double Knowledge consists of the First and Second Knowledge, held respectively by the Low and High Castes.

Goreans believe that the Priest-Kings exist because they have witnessed their power, specifically the deadly Blue Flame. The Blue Flame, which incinerates its target, is a highly visible sign of the power of the Priest-Kings. It appears out of the sky, its source unseen, and destroys those seen to oppose the will of the Priest-Kings. But, not only do the Priest-Kings use the Blue Flame against individual violators, but sometimes they even use it on a grander scale. The Priest-Kings occasionally destroy even an entire city with the Blue Flame. The Priest-Kings most often choose such a city at random, just to prove their power to the Goreans. They know that the Initiates will be sure to find reasons to blame the destroyed city for standing in opposition to the Priest-Kings, of seriously breaking their tenets. Who can dispute that the mysterious wielders of the Blue Flame are not vastly powerful beings? The Blue Flame makes it very easy to accept the existence of the Priest-Kings, especially as the Blue Flame is clearly not a natural phenomenon.

Though sensory information is important, it still is far less important than the acceptance of what Goreans are taught is the truth. This is most evident in the institution of the Double Knowledge, where the Low Castes are taught to accept a fabricated reality, to accept a pack of lies as the truth. They learn these false truths as young children in the public nurseries. It is also very evident in the teachings of the Initiates who also promote lies, especially about the Priest-Kings and the power of the Initiates. There is little questioning of these purported “truths” by the Low Castes. These truths are so pervasive within the society of Gor that even some of the High Castes, who should know better, believe some of the lies of the First Knowledge or those told by the Initiates. The best example is that the belief in the efficacy of divination is common throughout all Castes, High and Low.

Part of the reason for this blind acceptance of these false truths is that Goreans often rely on tradition. Much of Gor is slow to accept change, preferring to rely on the wisdom and lore of their ancestors. Goreans are not taught to question tradition, but are taught to accept its validity. Thus, as the Double Knowledge and the Initiate Caste have a long history, an extended tradition, there is little reason to question them. They have the weight of hundreds or even thousands of years behind them. And those who possess the proper truths about these matters, the High Castes and the highest-ranking Initiates, have little incentive to advocate enlightening the Low Castes. Their knowledge gives them power and they are not about to diminish that power by spreading that knowledge to the Low Castes.

It is possible that the Low Castes could rely on certain sensory information to learn the truth about some of the lies of the First Knowledge. They might be able to figure out by observation that Gor is round or that it does move in an orbit. But, the strength of tradition is so powerful that such sensory evidence would likely be ignored or excuses made to nullify any ideas that ran contrary to established tradition. And a Low Caste individual would generally gain nothing by trying to contradict the First Knowledge. It could lead to a conflict that would cause more problems than were resolved. A Low Caste person could also learn the truth in the libraries of Gor. Gorean libraries contain the truths of the Second Knowledge and are open to people of all Castes. But, as most Low Caste people are illiterate, the likelihood of them obtaining the truth in these libraries is not high.

Why have these false truths been propagated? What is the purpose of the First Knowledge? Why do the High Castes and the highest-ranking Initiates continue to support this fabricated metaphysics? Why is there little incentive to advocate change? Why should these ancient traditions be upheld? Why has this false epistemology been created?

Essentially, everything devolves down to the issue of power and control. The First Knowledge was created as a means of social control, to control the Low Castes. The lies help to perpetuate the power structure where the High Castes remain on top, above the masses of the Low Castes. The Initiates promote their own falsehoods to maintain their own position of power, being the highest Caste on Gor. In addition, other people, such as Ubars may use the Initiates as an additional form of social control over the Low Castes. There is little other reason for the existence of the Double Knowledge. Those in power have obviously no incentive to surrender or share their power with the Low Castes. Thus, a fabricated metaphysics was created, relying upon an epistemology of acceptance by teaching and tradition, to perpetuate the power structure of the Gorean cities.