User:Timothy O'Reagan

Dr. James W. Dees Dr. Dees is a psychologist, behavioral scientist and ergonomicist. His doctorate is in psychology with industrial engineering as a collateral field. In addition to psychology and industrial engineering, he has significant academic backgrounds in mathematics, statistics, physics, and biology. He was one of the principle designers of the crew station for the Gemini spacecraft. In this capacity, he conducted the simulation research that defined the control systems of the Gemini spacecraft and the operational procedures required for the crew to successfully rendezvous and dock with another spacecraft in orbit. He invented the laboratory equipment necessary to study the accuracy of visual distance and size estimation in space. He then used this equipment to conduct the research that mathematically defined the human capability to estimate size and distance in space. This information was required to plan a successful docking in space. During the Viet Nam War, he conducted a great deal of practical research including the research that defined the most effective firing modes for the M-16 rifle and the most effective distribution of radios within an infantry combat unit. He then conducted numerous studies defining the engineering requirements for aviation simulators in order to optimize pilot training, and had administrative responsibility for the human factors engineering design of remotely operated military ground and air vehicles. He has numerous scientific publications, but also enjoys writing fiction, composing music, singing, writing poetry and exploring his relationship with God. His musical compositions are primarily sacred, but he has also written three musical plays and performed as a vocalist, actor and speaker. His career is a combination of the very people oriented studies of psychology and the very construct oriented studies of the physical sciences and engineering. The subjects explored in “Reconciliation” require a very diverse mixture of abilities. Dr. Dees’ mixture of very different fields and interests gives him the unusual perspective required for his book "Reconciliation." A brief description of the book "Reconciliation" follows.

We are born into this world ignorant and naïve. Appreciating the magnificence of Jesus’ gift is difficult. How can you appreciate the magnificence of something that you cannot understand? Logic, a few recent scientific discoveries and two faith choices tell us the purpose of our mortal bodies, provide evidence for the existence of our souls and define the nature of our souls. Our mortal bodies provide a critical experience that our souls cannot obtain in any other way. The nature of the world in which our souls exist as well as the nature of time is then described as well as why mortals and souls experience time differently. The two faith choices used in conjunction with these scientific discoveries are that God is love and that we are being created in the image of God. When all these things are considered, it then becomes possible to understand the necessity and magnificence of Jesus’ sacrifice.