Dr. Robert A. Herrmann, GID, and Evil

Dr. Robert A. Herrmann, author of ONENESS, THE TRINITY AND LOGIC, is also the one who has constructed what is known as General Intelligent Design (GID). Recently Dr. Herrmann has written Science Declares Our Universe Is Intelligently Designed. You can purchase the book here or at Amazon.com.

Dr. Herrmann also believes in the Oneness of God and believes he has come to this conclusion in his personal journey of research and logical thinking. He is also a retired Professor of Mathematics (U. S. Naval Academy). He has a Ph. D. and an M.A. in Mathematics from American University. He also has a .B. A. in Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Herrmann has individually published 73 articles in 30 different journals from 14 countries. He has written over 250 published reviews as well as 7 books, 5 of which are available, free of change, from his Internet site or the arXiv.org archives. He has personally presented 31 papers at scientific conferences and over 1,200 scientific disclosures.

Here is a great link from CreationWiki on GID and Dr. Herrmann. He is also listed as a Scientist of the Christian Faith by the apologetics website Tektonics.org.

It has been my privilege to dialoge with Dr. Herrmann, in a private email interview, about 12 concerns and questions about human and supernatural reality. The questions were posted awhile back along with various other comments here.

(1) God as described within the Bible has rational attributes.

The rationality of God's attributes is of the utmost significance. For hundreds of years, atheistic philosophers and scientists have claimed that such beliefs are irrational. The term irrational implies that those that accept Biblical principles are mentally defective. Some individuals even go so far as to state that those who accept a supernatural God are "insane."

This atheistic assertion has no bases in fact. It will continue to be made until a countering argument is presented. A strong opposing argument now exists. Mathematical reasoning, which is a portion of classical logic - the everyday logical patterns known since Aristotle - refutes this atheistic pronouncement. To do this, one needs to apply special techniques. The only mathematical object with the power to compare God's attributes with those of His created is called a nonstandard model, where the term nonstandard is a technical term. Such models are constructed using standard set theory. Modern set theory is also used to investigate the contents of these models. I have at my web site how these special techniques are used to counter the claim that God is an irrational concept. An article that presents many of the countering arguments is "God, as He is Biblically described, is a scientifically rational concept" found in the Special Articles section of

http://raherrmann.com

(2) It is rational to assume that He exists.

First, there are the results in (1). Then there is the General Grand Unification model (GGU-model), which is a cosmogony that generates universes. This model is interpreted in three ways or combinations of these ways. These are the secular, intelligent design or theological interpretations. What is present next is mostly the intelligent design and theological interpretations that correspond to God's creationary processes. These processes are analogue modeled by mathematical operators.

Every GGU-model operator employed to generate a universe is intelligently design by a describable higher-intelligence. A "signature" is a set of properties that characterizes a specific attribute or object. When applied, each operator has a signature that characterizes the application as being made by a higher-intelligence. All known secular and theological cosmologies can be generated by these operators. Even if a strict Bible-centered cosmology is not accepted, in general, any known cosmology can be produced and intelligently designed by a higher-intelligence. This is a significant fact.

I discovered the best possible unification U for the set of all physical laws and physical theories. Using the GID (i.e. General Intelligent Design) interpretation, this unification is contained in another unification *U, where U is *U restricted to our physical world. The operator *U has a higher-intelligence signature. From this, one concludes that the physical entities that exist as well as all physical patterns that correspond to physical laws or accepted theories are designed, indeed, pre-designed by a higher-intelligence.
Operator *U models (satisfies) part of John 1:30, and Col. 1:17.

The general processes that model universe generation are also used to establish (1) and a GGU-model prediction corresponds exactly to a very strict and literal Genesis 1 description for creation. This prediction corresponds not only to verses such as the remaining part of John 1:3, but to Col. 1:16 and Rev. 4:11. Further, the creationary processes have characteristics as stated in Ps. 148:1-5, and Heb. 1:3. Indeed, every statement where God "commands", "speaks" or even "thinks" the universe into existence is modeled.

The GGU-model predicts specifically that a universe external to our local environment can present cosmology-associated evidence that satisfies the view that a vast period of Earth-time is necessary for its development. Biblically, this universe can display great age and, yet, from within the local environment where actual Earth-time is measured, it was realized only 6 to 8-thousand Earth-time years ago. Hence, for all known cosmologies, our universe is the product of intelligent agency. This higher-intelligence can also create entities exactly as outlined in Genesis 1. Thus, the Biblically described Creator aspects of God are also classically rational.

My entire (personal) Bible-centered GGU-model mode for universe creation that establishes this strict Geneses 1 scenario is describe on my web site beginning with the article "DVD Illustration" in the Special Articles section of

http://raherrmann.com

The method used in particle-physics and cosmology to claim that certain entities as well as their behavior exist is the method of "indirect" evidence. This evidence comes from observable entities that are predicted to behave in specific ways assuming that the unobserved entities exist and behave in postulated ways.

On my web site, I have an article that gives a vast amount of indirect evidence for the existence of such a higher-intelligence. This article "GID - Evidence" is also in the Special Articles section at

http://raherrmann.com

In general, everything that exists is indirect evidence for God's existence and His mode of creation. Further, this indirect evidence corresponds to how, according to Paul in Rom. 1:20, God's invisible attributes are determined.

(3) Miracles are rational events.

There is a special process modeled by a special operator that is produced by a "mixed logic-system." A special property of this operator is that, for this purpose, it can be applied only by a higher-intelligence. The same higher-intelligence has intelligently designed it. The results of all applications of such a modeled process are intelligent designed by the higher-intelligence and the process being mathematically modeled is, hence, rational relative to classical logic. How this operator produces a miracle event is explained on my web site at

http://www.serve.com/herrmann/mirmech.htm

(4) The Holy Ghost is a rational concept.

As discussed by Paul, the Holy Ghost (Spirit), at the least, denotes the attributes of God that interact with our minds (brain). The same type of operator used in (3) can be used to influence our thinking in various ways. This operator also has "strength levels." I point out that this operator can also model how the Adversary can influence our thinking. Since God wants us to choice between our sinful nature and behavior He desires, the Adversary, the Prince of this world, is apparently allowed to use such an operator. This is indicated in Job 1:10, where the Adversary states, "Have you not put a hedge around him . . . . You have blessed everything he has . . ." (NIV) Then God removes the "hedge." Hence, by implication Job is a special case and the "hedge" does not generally exist. This also can be attested to by Eve's actions. Such rational behavior is further discussed on my web site in the article "Thought Control" in the Special Articles section of

http://raherrmann.com

If there are any other Holy Ghost attributes, then they are rationally modeled by the previously discussed methods.

(5) Everything that exists within the universe is evidence that God exists.

This is discussed above, if one uses the highly significant notion of indirect evidence.

(6) The rationally described Holy Ghost can influence our thoughts in a rational manner.

(7) The rationally described Adversary can influence our thoughts in a rational manner.

Statements (6) and (7) are discussed in (4).

(8) Our universe as a whole is designed and produced by actions taken by a higher-intelligence, where the higher-intelligence has the same attributes as those displayed by the Biblical God.

In the above, this is discussed at length.

(9) Every defined elementary object, if such exists (a neutrino and the like), is designed and produced by the same higher-intelligence.

Depending upon which of two general collections of processes one choices, there are five or four operators (distinct processes) that, taken together, produce any physical universe. All of these operators have higher-intelligence signatures. The GGU-model predicts, via rational methods and the meanings accorded some higher-intelligence symbolized statements, that entities called subparticles exist. One of these operators yields combinations of subparticles that, when the operator "st" is applied, yield elementary entities whatever they may be. The combining process is designed and applied by a higher-intelligence. Such specific universe-generating processes are discussed in

http://www.serve.com/herrmann/processes.htm

(10) Every combination of elementary objects, if any exist, and used to form any other physical object is designed and produced by the same higher-intelligence.

The operator that combines subparticles to yield other entities, as discussed in the web site article mentioned in (9), and the st operator accomplish this.

(11) The physical laws and theories are purposely designed by a higher-intelligence. These allow intelligent beings to construct additional physical-systems and subdue the Earth. Based upon physical laws or theories, every physical change in the behavior of every system composed of physical objects is controlled by the same higher-intelligence. (Controlled does not mean personal choice is removed.

The special *U-method used to form an event sequence, as discussed in my web site article at the URL in (9), shows that there are special and related purposes for these laws. They are not merely randomly obtained. These purposes are explicitly stated in the Bible at Genesis 1:26 and 1:28. "have dominion . . . over all the earth" "and subdue it [the earth]."

The absolute control comes from the application of the st operator and how the event sequences are pre-designed by *U. For example, in the theological interpretation, God must continually apply the st operator at each moment of primitive time or our universe would cease to exist as a real object. (This models the "sustains" of Heb. 1:3.) Then it is the method used to design event sequences that allows God to have knowledge of the past, present and future. Hence, He has original control over every aspect of a physical universe. In my book, "Science Declares that Our Universe IS Intelligently Designed" I give a specific method that can be used to satisfy participator alterations in physical-system behavior. This method allows us to make choices in every thing we do and the universe continues to develop using altered event sequences that do not contradict any aspect of the GGU-model or the other two interpretations. (By the way, although the above-mentioned book is necessary to more fully understand the GGU-model and GID, on my web site I have presented many new research findings.)

(12) This higher-intelligence can design and produce our universe in a
manner that follows a very strict (literal) interpretation of the creation
statements make in Genesis 1. He can do this in such a manner that the
results of His endeavors produce everything that we observe today including
apparent age. Some will observe remnants of God's original creations while
others are presented with a strong delusion. (This correspond to 2 Thes
2:11). Recall that this higher-intelligence can also design our universe so as to correspond to any proposed cosmology.

This is discussed above and in the articles mentioned in (2). In the first set of articles, I use the rapid formation model to generate a universe external to our originally created local environment, where any cosmology as depicted today can be used. Further, it is shown that there can be direct evidence today of both an ancient earth as well as evidence for a young earth without there being any contradictions. Evidence for strict Biblical creation is more likely to be observed through guidance from the Holy Ghost. Hence, since all evidence also points to creation by the Biblical God, then, as Paul indicates in Rom. 1:20, no one can rationally escape the choice that the Biblical God is the Creator of all there was, all there is and all there ever will be.


Robert A. Herrmann, Ph.D.
Professor of Mathematics (Ret.)
U.S. Naval Academy
www.raherrmann.com
Author of Science Declares Our Universe Is Intelligently Designed

The Logos and Apostle John by Robert A. Herrmann Ph.D.

For a collection of theological documents, there can be no greater sacrilege than adding or removing words so as to uphold a doctrine not specifically stated elsewhere. The most well-know New Testament addition occurs in 1 John 5:7. The King James Version (KJV) would have us believe that John wrote the following that only appears in the much later Vulgate manuscripts.

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (Logos), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, . . .

Of course, no such statement occurs in the oldest Greek manuscripts. These manuscripts state literally

And the spirit it is (which is) testifying, for the spirit is truth, (seeing) that three (there) are (that are) testifying, the spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the three are for one (thing).

As a nothing example, the KJV and most other translations imply that "logos" is a code-word for the supernatural entity termed the "pre-existent Christ." One place where John associates this term with Jesus is in Rev 19:13, where he writes, after describing the actions of an entity, that "His name is called the Word of God." John wrote this about a supernatural entity. The term logos as used here is an identification and all that needs to be determined is what John was identifying. In John 1:1-14, the term "word" is used in most translations for the Greek logos. It is clearly used in this manner to uphold the notion of the per-existent Christ. But, from the Greek, looc has no such meaning.

The following translation of John 1:1-14 uses the most basic and consistent forms that have been traced to the common first century Greek. This is done so as to eliminate doctrinal biases.

According to the article 2, the major question is whether John wrote his portions of the Scriptures in some poetic code-language that would only be understandable by a later generations? The Holy Ghost that guided his writings is certainly capable of stating a concept in clear and concrete terms, terms that would, indeed, be totally understood at the time John wrote 1:1-14. The ideas and language used by Justin in his description of the pre-existent Christ were most certainly understandable and usable by John. But, it's claimed, that the Holy Ghost did not supply John with a claimed major piece of Christian doctrine. "In the beginning was the word (logos)."

The term logos has a long, long history, especially throughout Greek philosophy. But, the most straightforward and comprehensible meaning at the time of John and in the form he uses it is that it represents a "complete logical account" relative to something. It can be but a "mental" accounting. The notion of logical means "an orderly" account. What is the "something" this accounting represents? As will be established from the most ancient Greek manuscripts in existence, this account is God's "conditional salvation account" and it existed when the universe began.

John writes "And the logos was toward the God." (Notice the past tense.) In this case, the Greek word for "toward" (pros) is a connective of the accusative case denoting "direction toward" and has been translated by such words as "to, for the sake, for the purpose of, pertaining to." Is it too much of a stretch to understand this statement as "The account pertained to (the) God"? The Bible is a linguistic model for God's operative behavior. This includes purely mental processes. Hence, this is God's "mental" account of "something". John tells us exactly that the mental logical account has as its underlying bases "God" when he writes "God was the logos." (Again notice the past tense.) (As will be seen, the use of the past tense is necessary since it is but an "account" and is not as yet realized in objective reality. It existed prior to its realization.) The missing Greek article would indicate that this account contains an "essence" of God, or that it is an account that has as its underlying basis some indispensable attributes of God, attributes that have always existed.

The account was not the "complete account" of God, in general, but is only relative to special attributes. Indeed, as will be more clearly shown shortly, these are the human-like attributes of God, and as implied by Genesis 1:26, God created the entire universe just so that He could populate the earth with entities that had similar, but highly weakened, attributes of this same type. John actually states that the "agent" that created the universe has the underlying attributes represented within the logos, when he writes, "All come into being through [the agent represented by] it and apart from it not even one thing came into being which has come into being." So, the entity that has these attributes is further identified as the creator God. Further, such a universe has a condition attached. The created entities can make choices. This is why this salvation account is conditional. I point out that an "account" or "narrative" cannot be a "him," in general. But, the Greek allows the word "it" to be translated into these forms if the context requires this meaning. Changing the term into a masculine pronoun significantly altersn in meaning and, appears, to change the original intent of what John writes. Writing a masculine pronoun for what is an "it" is done throughout orthodox Bible translations. This procedure tends to force the reader to accept the term "word" as a code-word of a pre-existent Christ.

The next verses John writes show the true significance of this account, since "In it was life, and the life was the light of men." This clearly refers to what John knew was the purpose of the account, it was the salvation account that was totally relative to the "light" which he now identifies. Verses 5 - 13 clearly identify the "light" as the forthcoming man Jesus Christ, the attributes He will display and the salvation truths He will present.

Of great importance is verse 14 "And the logos became flesh." The previous mental account is now materially realized and becomes objective reality. The account is the entire pre-designed conditional salvation account - the incarnation and everything there after. This account details the one and only one road to salvation and also describes the most complete set of Godhead manifestations that can be perceived by humankind within the physical universe. He displays His Son of God or Christ attributes. Notice that many of these attributes were not displayed during Old Testament times. This is an exact example of the "tri-category model" in that human comprehension is restricted to a specific list of divine attributes. When God displays these attributes, they often fall into three distinct categories. Obviously, these attributes are not those of distinct entities but are attributes of the single spirit we call God.

The orthodox Church uses the term "Word" as an additional "name" for Jesus based upon Biblical verses such as John 1:14 or Mark 16:20. Logos neither signifies this in John 1:14 nor Mark 16:20, where the whole account is an obvious meaning. But, in Rev 19:13, John wants us to know that the entity he describes has, among others qualities, the same attributes as those displayed when God manifested Himself as the Son of God. Further, God's complete account or plan for salvation is a major part of His attributes. Hence, He also represents the Word (plan) of God. This entity is the glorified Jesus and the entire list of glorified Jesus attributes designates all that humankind can ever perceive or understand about God both in the physical and supernatural worlds.

Dr. Robert A. Herrmann, GID, and Evil

Dr. Robert A. Herrmann, author of ONENESS, THE TRINITY AND LOGIC, is also the one who has constructed what is known as General Intelligent Design (GID). Recently Dr. Herrmann has written Science Declares Our Universe Is Intelligently Designed. You can purchase the book here or at Amazon.com.

Dr. Herrmann also believes in the Oneness of God and believes he has come to this conclusion in his personal journey of research and logical thinking. He is also a retired Professor of Mathematics (U. S. Naval Academy). He has a Ph. D. and an M.A. in Mathematics from American University. He also has a .B. A. in Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Herrmann has individually published 73 articles in 30 different journals from 14 countries. He has written over 250 published reviews as well as 7 books, 5 of which are available, free of change, from his Internet site or the arXiv.org archives. He has personally presented 31 papers at scientific conferences and over 1,200 scientific disclosures.

Here is a great link from CreationWiki on GID and Dr. Herrmann. He is also listed as a Scientist of the Christian Faith by the apologetics website Tektonics.org.

It is my privilege to be dialoguing with Dr. Herrmann, in a private email interview, about 12 concerns and questions about human and supernatural reality. The questions are:

(1) God as described within the Bible has rational attributes.

(2) It is rational to assume that He exists.

(3) Miracles are rational events.

(4) The Holy Ghost is a rational concept.

(5) Everything that exists within the universe is evidence that God exists.

(6) The rationally described Holy Ghost can influence our thoughts in a rational manner.

(7) The rationally described Adversary can influence our thoughts in a rational manner.

(8) Our universe as a whole is designed and produced by actions taken by a higher-intelligence, where the higher-intelligence has the same attributes as those displayed by the Biblical God.

(9) Every defined elementary object, if such exists (a neutrino and the like), is designed and produced by the same higher-intelligence.

(10) Every combination of elementary objects, if any exist, and used to form any other physical object is designed and produced by the same higher-intelligence.

(11) The physical laws and theories are purposely designed by a higher-intelligence. These allow intelligent beings to construct additional physical-systems and subdue the Earth. Based upon physical laws or theories, every physical change in the behavior of every system composed of physical objects is controlled by the same higher-intelligence. (Controlled does not mean personal choice is removed.)

(12) This higher-intelligence can design and produce our universe in a manner that follows a very strict (literal) interpretation of the creation statements make in Genesis 1. He can do this in such a manner that the results of His endeavors produce everything that we observe today including apparent age. Some will observe remnants of God's original creations while others are presented with a strong delusion. (This correspond to 2 Thess 2:11). This higher-intelligence can also design our universe so as to correspond to any of the proposed cosmologies.

The replies to these questions will be posted on Evidential Faith soon. From what I understand, GID indicates that God is involved in "every instance" of change; micro or macro. Dr. Herrmann also states that this "models at lest two Bible verses Heb 1:3 where His power sustains everything and Col 1:17 where His power holds everything together."

This being the case it is a more philosophic inquiry then to account for the reason of evil, sickness, and disease. Since God is involved in "every instance" of change what of the only apparent argument for Atheism? Popular atheists (e.g. Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins) raise this issue frequently in their attacks upon the Christian worldview. Is there suspect morality in God creating changes that lead to cancer cells?

Dr. Herrmann replies:

"There is no such "problem" with evil or what some term as "natural" evil (disease etc.). Humankind originally resided in Pleasantville (Eden). There is a mathematical model that leads to the following interpretation. During day-four via the rapid formation model a very hostile-to-human-life exterior universe was formed. Pleasantville and its local environment still retained physical laws and processes highly different from those of the exterior universe. One purpose for such an exterior universe is to indicate the highly special treatment God accorded humankind as compared with what exists elsewhere. God made humankind in His own image. Hence, He gave humankind the right to make choices. Note that the physical laws and processes of this exterior universe do not depend upon the behavioral choices that human beings make.

Now evil behavior is instituted by a spirit-being, the Adversary. Such behavior is often the opposite of what God considers as correct (i.e. good) behavior. As stated above, there is a mathematically modeled process that allows the Adversary or his associates to influence our thinking. (This also is how the Holy Ghost influences our thinking. A medium for this may be related to the immaterial medium for human thought that Nobelist Sir John Eccles claims exists and can be indirectly verified via experimentation.)

Humankind chose to "listen" more to the Adversary's voice than to God's and they lost their Pleasantville residents. The Bible states that various Pleasantville physical laws no longer applied to their second residents, but they now corresponded to some, but not all, exterior universe physical laws and corresponding processes. In this regard, because of sin, as we are told, evil in the form of the Prince of the world influenced more and more individuals. Indeed, it was only after the first sin of disobedience that physical death, via the changed physical laws, occurs exterior to what was Pleasantville. God started to give human beings what they desired - freedom to choice evil or Him.

Humankind continued to listen to the suggestions of the Adversary or his associates and they chose to follow more of the suggestions. God once more stepped in and completed destroyed not just everything on the land but also the land itself. The remnants of humankind were deposited on a world that is physically controlled by the same laws that govern the physical behavior of the exterior universe. But, the earth that is now our home still has certain remarkable aspects that continue to protect us from the exterior hostile universe. In simple terms, we are now faced with death and all the unpleasant aspects fostered by the present physical laws and corresponding processes since God has given us what we desired. The Prince of the world voice is often much stronger than that of God's. But, we know that there is a way out of this "evil world," a way that will allow us once again to exist in a type of Pleasantville. I need not describe "the Way" since we know what it is.

One final thought on what is classified as evil. The GID model shows explicitly the following: there is a Divine language. (Probably that of the "third heaven.") God is (or has) an infinitely power "mind." A complete description of His power probably cannot be obtained by using the language we are accorded. Further, we can ask questions and they can have answers but these answers may require that His Divine language and His stronger mode of logic be used. Such questions often come about since we do not truly understand what the Greek "to believe" means. The oldest meaning is related to "obey." In this context, an individual's belief in Jesus is directly related to obeying Jesus. It is not related to questions such as "Why should I do such and such?"