Aleister Crowley (1875 -- 1947), born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other fields, including mountaineering, chess and poetry. In his role as the founder of the Thelemite philosophy, he came to see himself as the prophet who was entrusted with informing humanity that it was entering the new Aeon of Horus in the early 20th century. Scott Michaelsen is a professor of English literature at Michigan State University. Robert Anton Wilson (1932 -- 2007), known to friends as Bob, was an American author and polymath who became at various times a novelist, philosopher, psychologist, essayist, editor, playwright, poet, futurist, civil libertarian[1] and self-described agnostic mystic. His popular books include The Cosmic Trigger and the Illuminatus Trilogy.