Theological
Geography and Threat Assessments with Geosematics:
Synthesizing the Systematic Political Science Subsets of
Political and Cultural Geography to Delete Structural Holes
by
Dallas F. Bell, Jr.
1. An Introduction
to the History of Geography
Geography (Greek from geo,
meaning Earth, and graphein, meaning to write or describe) is
the study of the descriptions of the external features of the Earth.
Geography's emphasis is not just on the spatial characteristics of
the earth's surface, it also addresses the phenomena of the behavior
of living things, primary human. There are frequent disputes among
geographers concerning the scope and vocabulary of geography.
History will ultimately decide what is viable. Generally, there
is agreement that the discipline of geography is divided into the two
main fields of physical and human geography.
The roots of geography can
be genealogically traced back to Eden. The four rivers that flowed
out of Eden were the Hiddekel or Tigris River (land east of Assyria),
the Pison River (land of Havilah west of Ural), the Gihon River (land
of Ethiopia) and the Euphrates River.[1]
The Bible records Abraham was
given the land from the Nile to the Euphrates River between 1920 B.C.
and 1911 B.C.*[2] That was a Divine covenant which was a monergism
(meaning by the work of one, mon or one and erg
or work.) This land was called the Promised Land, Beulah (meaning
to be master of) [3] and the Holy Land.[4] That territory is also
recognized as Israel with its capital at Jerusalem. Jerusalem
is known as the place of the temple of God [5] and is called Salem [6],
the Holy City [7], Zion [8], city of truth [9], city of David [10] and
the city of God [11], etc.
In 1275 B.C. Moses established
laws for selling land.[12] The law also directed the land was
to be farmed for six years and not farmed on the seventh year.[13]
In 1235 B.C. Moses directed
city planning.[14]
In 1228 B.C. Joshua divided
the Israeli land.[15]
From 545-538 B.C. Isaiah wrote
about the Earth as a circle.[16]
Circa 500 B.C. Pythagoras is
credited with also proposing that the Earth was a sphere.
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) followed
the spherical reality with a proof by observation.
Eratosthenes was a librarian
in Alexandria. He calculated the circumference of the Earth in
240 B.C.
Matthew records the leasing
of land in the fall of 29 or spring of 30 A.D.[17]
Ptolemy, an Alexandrian astronomer,
compiled data (c.147) to translate the spherical world onto a plane
using 360 degrees with longitudes and latitudes.
In 271 the magnetic compass
was being used in China.
Explorers like Marco Polo in
1271, Christopher Columbus in 1492, James Cook in 1768 and David Livingstone
in 1840 contributed to the soundness of geographic details.
The university curriculum in
Europe, during the 1800's, recognized geography as an academic discipline.
Leaders of the discipline were those like Immanuel Kant (1724-1804),
Alexander von Humbolt (1769-1859), Carl Ritter (1779-1859) and Paul
Vidal de la Blache (1845-1918).
Today the tools of remote sensing satellites and supercomputers greatly increase
the pursuits of geographers, especially the Geographic Information System
(GIS). The GIS is a computing system for creating, storing, analyzing
and managing spatial data.
2. The Branches
of Geography
The motif of systematic political
science is the connection of theological beliefs which form epistemologies
that calibrate all individual human behavior. Individual behaviors
are collated into societal behavior that is based on eschatological
beliefs from the chosen theology. Political geography is interested
in the relationship between politics and geography. It looks at
how nation-states are formed, their treaties, historical boundaries
and election results, etc. Cultural geography may include the
topics of globalization, immigration, tourism and hegemony as they apply
to cultural differences.
If we understand that all behaviors
are effects from causes, it is axiomatic that political and cultural
geography have structural holes regarding the initiating cause of the
behaviors they observe. Those causes are the epistemologies formed
by the authority and standard for truth, which is derived from a chosen
theology. Kant recognized six branches of geography with one being
theological geography. Theological geography includes identifying
the cause for human behavior and therefore has the potential to provide
the overarching category for all human geography sub-disciplines.
3. Theological Geography
Theological geography is not
religious geography which may or may not have a text that its followers
may or may not choose to adhere. Nor is it moral geography which
may or may not relate to natural laws. Theological geography ties
human behavioral options to specific compliance with or noncompliance
with Natural Laws of
Freewill (NLF).
This process should determine what people may or may not do and allows
for data retrieval and mapping for analysis.
Herman Dooyeweerd (1894-1977)
philosophically determined that perceptions of reality are affected
by theological beliefs as Nietzsche's geophilosophy demonstrates.
Johan Rudolf Kjellen (1864-1922) first used the term geopolitics.
His concepts shaped the Nazi strategy under Hitler who hanged Dietrich
Bonhoeffer (1906-1945). International relations studies foreign
affairs of nation-states and is also affected.
A list of characteristics for nation-state
data would be as follows.
--Name of the nation-state
--Area or size
--Capital
--Total population by date
and age categories, (Y1) <20, (Y2) 20-60,
(Y3) 60> years
--Total individuals:
with a (T1) theological
belief compliant with 10 NLF; by religion and language
with a (T2) theological
belief compliant with 5-9 NLF; by religion and language
with a (T3) theological
belief compliant with 0-4 NLF; by religion and language
--Societal groups (P)
P1 (51%>) of
T1 or T2 or T3; by IQ of average, gifted and lower
P2 (25-47%) of
T1 or T2 or T3; by IQ of average, gifted and lower
P3 (2-24%) of
T1 or T2 or T3; by IQ of average, gifted and lower
--Societal history (H)
H1 is aY1 to Y3
of T1 history
H2 is aY1 to Y3
of T2 history
H3 is aY1 to Y3
of T3 history
--First, Second or Third World
system and level
--Geographic position (G)
G1 is isolated
G2 the neighbors
share the same majority T beliefs
G3 the neighbors
do not share the same majority T beliefs
--The T beliefs of the geographer(s)
compiling the data
The statistics and type of
government, education, healthcare, justice, economy, labor, communications,
transportation, treaties and military could augment the country summary.
All data can then be transferred to specific physical map overlays for
geographic presentation. Cultural alternity (other), which defines
some citizens as included and others excluded, can be observed.
4. Threat
Assessments
Threat assessments are conducted
by security and intelligence agencies of nation-states. They categorize
the behavior of the people in specific geographic regions. Those
behaviors may include terrorism, general espionage and economic espionage,
proliferation, the targeting of information infrastructure and government(s),
perception management and foreign intelligence activities. A threat
is then determined by the probability of those behaviors occurring.
Threat assessments are closely
related to risk assessments which involve determining the vulnerability and likelihood
of risk for an area. Intelligence analysts, who are expert to
a region, prepare intelligence estimates that contain probabilities
of behavior for their area of expertise. Those estimates are usually
brief and only considered reliable for a short period of time.
The nation-state summary from
theological geography could be a useful tool for accurate assessments
and estimates. When they are employed with the META game theory
formulae and Analysis Worksheet confidence can be enhanced that the
structural holes in the data has been deleted. Logic validity
can then be evoked such as the commonly used modus ponens (measure,
to put; to put down).
If P, then Q.
P.
Therefore, Q.
Here is an example.
If they have T3 beliefs, then
they are a behavioral threat.
They have T3 beliefs.
Therefore, they are a behavioral
threat.
This reasoning can be illustrated
by U.S. college professors.
If U.S. professors believe
in evolution (theology), then they are Marxists (behavior).
U.S. professors believe in
evolution.
Therefore, they are Marxists.
Also this logic can use proof
by contrapositive called modus tollens (measure, to take away;
take away).
If P, then Q.
Q is false.
Therefore, P is false.
This reasoning can be applied
to Christian theology.
If there is peace (behavior),
then Christian beliefs (theology) are there.
There are no Christian beliefs
there.
Therefore, there is no peace.
5. Geosemantics
When people say that a part
of town is dangerous or refer to the Muslim Middle East they have naturally
connected theological behavior with land. This semantic process
adds to the establishment of both land and behavioral/theological boundaries.
Aristotle defined a boundary as the point where each of the concerned
parties is completely absent and where each of the concerned parties
begins. That point is commonly described between nation-states
(the land) and behavioral compliance with NLF (the theologies of T1,
T2 and T3.) Geosemantics and linguistics should deal with understanding
the taxonomy of words associated with theological geography's lexicon.
6. Conclusion
Theological geography is often
witnessed today. It has been informally present for around six
thousand years when Adam was told to subdue and rule over the Earth
and be fruitful and multiply. He disobeyed NLF, which broke the
Divine covenant, for which the punishment was exile [18] from the land
of Eden.[19] There is hope in the covenant that says if God's
people who are called by His name will humble themselves and pray and
seek His face and turn from their wicked ways then He will forgive their
sin and heal their land.[20] Additionally, Jesus said that the
meek shall inherit the Earth.[21] Such covenants from the infinite
God would still apply to present situations, e.g. God said that He would
bless those that bless Israel and curse those that curse Israel.
This curse would likely include coercive diplomacy.[22]
Admittedly, theological geography
is complex but by synthesis of political and cultural geography the
structural holes can be deleted. Therefore threat assessments
and other analysis can and should be made more reliable. Solomon
warned that by blessings of the upright the city is exalted; but it
is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.[23]
[*Some dates may be disputed
among scholars.]
References
[1] Gen. 2:8-15
[2] Gen. 12, 15:18-21; Deut.
6-8; Josh. 1:7,8
[3] Is. 62:4
[4] Zech. 2:12
[5] II Thess. 2:4; Acts 15:14-18
[6] Gen.14:18
[7] Matt. 4:5
[8] Ps. 48:12
[9] Zech. 8:3
[10] II Sam. 5:6,7
[11] Ps. 46:4
[12] Lev. 25:15-33
[13] Ex. 23:10-11
[14] Nu. 32:24, 35:5-15
[15] Josh. 14-21
16] Is. 40:22
[17] Matt. 21:33-44
[18] Gen. 3:4-24
[19] Is. 37:12
[20] II Chron. 7:14
[21] Matt. 5:5
[22] Gen. 12:3
[23] Prov. 11:11
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RIGHTS RESERVED © 2006 DALLAS F. BELL, JR.-------
