Gideon Joubert
Encyclopedia
Gideon Joubert was a South African writer
and journalist
(at Die Burger
) who was known for his Intelligent Design
-opinions, especially present in his book, Die Groot Gedagte, which was his biggest success.
was born and grew up on his parent's wine farm
near Stellenbosch. He attended school
at Paul Roos Gymnasium
in Stellenbosch. He studied Afrikaans
, Dutch
, English
and Psychology
at Stellenbosch University
. In his second year he interrupted his studies to work as a deck hand on a sailing ship
. After a year he resumed his studies and obtained a BA
at Stellenbosch University. Gideon Joubert worked as a reporter at Die Burger
. From 1951 he served as officer at the South African Navy, where he played a major role (with many others) to assist in making it become more bilingual. He was one of the founders of the Naval Gymnasium
at Saldanha Bay
and became later its commanding officer. He founded and chaired the Fleet Language Board. As the founder and chairman of South Africa
's first diving school, he also became South Africa's first frogman
. After sixteen years of service, he retired with the rank of commander
, however he began work again for Die Burger
until his second and final retirement
.
Joubert was much involved in cultural and language matters. He was member of the executive board of Vriende van Afrikaans, the Helderbergse Kultuurraad and other organisations. Gideon Joubert was married, had four sons and lived in Heldervue, Somerset West. He was well known as an authority in wine circles and served on award panels. Gideon founded on of the oldest and most well established wine circles in South Africa, the Heerengracht Wynkring.
had come into existence. The cover of the earlier editions features a photo of M16
(also known as the Eagle Nebula). The book is mainly about how God
had planned the universe and how it is unrealistic to assume that the universe had come into existence by mere chance. Unlike other Christian
non-fiction works about cosmology
and cosmogony
, Die Groot Gedagte does not do away with the Big Bang
theory, but rather suggests that the Big Bang was the result of a greater Intelligence which had planned how the universe would turn out. The book has received widespread positive responses, although some have criticized the book because for its mixture of Intelligent Design
theory and Evolution
theory.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
(at Die Burger
Die Burger
Die Burger is a daily Afrikaans language newspaper, published by Naspers. By 2008, it had a circulation of 91,665 in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa...
) who was known for his Intelligent Design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
-opinions, especially present in his book, Die Groot Gedagte, which was his biggest success.
Life
JoubertJoubert
Joubert is a surname that originates from central France, variation of Jaubert Joubert is a surname that originates from central France, variation of Jaubert Joubert is a surname that originates from central France, variation of Jaubert (Joubert is a surname that originates from central France,...
was born and grew up on his parent's wine farm
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
near Stellenbosch. He attended school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
at Paul Roos Gymnasium
Paul Roos Gymnasium
Paul Roos Gymnasium is a government school for boys in the town of Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa, founded in 1866 as Stellenbosch Gymnasium....
in Stellenbosch. He studied Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....
. In his second year he interrupted his studies to work as a deck hand on a sailing ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
. After a year he resumed his studies and obtained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
at Stellenbosch University. Gideon Joubert worked as a reporter at Die Burger
Die Burger
Die Burger is a daily Afrikaans language newspaper, published by Naspers. By 2008, it had a circulation of 91,665 in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa...
. From 1951 he served as officer at the South African Navy, where he played a major role (with many others) to assist in making it become more bilingual. He was one of the founders of the Naval Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
at Saldanha Bay
Saldanha Bay
Saldanha Bay is a natural harbour on the south-western coast of South Africa, north west of Cape Town. The town that developed on the northern shore of the bay, also called Saldanha, was incorporated with five other towns into the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality in 2000. The current population of...
and became later its commanding officer. He founded and chaired the Fleet Language Board. As the founder and chairman of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's first diving school, he also became South Africa's first frogman
Frogman
A frogman is someone who is trained to scuba diving or swim underwater in a military capacity which can include combat. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver or combatant diver or combat swimmer....
. After sixteen years of service, he retired with the rank of commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
, however he began work again for Die Burger
Die Burger
Die Burger is a daily Afrikaans language newspaper, published by Naspers. By 2008, it had a circulation of 91,665 in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa...
until his second and final retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
.
Joubert was much involved in cultural and language matters. He was member of the executive board of Vriende van Afrikaans, the Helderbergse Kultuurraad and other organisations. Gideon Joubert was married, had four sons and lived in Heldervue, Somerset West. He was well known as an authority in wine circles and served on award panels. Gideon founded on of the oldest and most well established wine circles in South Africa, the Heerengracht Wynkring.
Authorship
He authored a book, Die Groot Gedagte, about how the cosmosCosmos
In the general sense, a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system. It originates from the Greek term κόσμος , meaning "order" or "ornament" and is antithetical to the concept of chaos. Today, the word is generally used as a synonym of the word Universe . The word cosmos originates from the same root...
had come into existence. The cover of the earlier editions features a photo of M16
Eagle Nebula
The Eagle Nebula is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745-46. Its name derives from its shape which is resemblant of an eagle...
(also known as the Eagle Nebula). The book is mainly about how God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
had planned the universe and how it is unrealistic to assume that the universe had come into existence by mere chance. Unlike other Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
non-fiction works about cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
and cosmogony
Cosmogony
Cosmogony, or cosmogeny, is any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence or origin of the universe, or about how reality came to be. The word comes from the Greek κοσμογονία , from κόσμος "cosmos, the world", and the root of γίνομαι / γέγονα "to be born, come about"...
, Die Groot Gedagte does not do away with the Big Bang
Big Bang
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that explains the early development of the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded rapidly. This rapid expansion caused the young Universe to cool and resulted in...
theory, but rather suggests that the Big Bang was the result of a greater Intelligence which had planned how the universe would turn out. The book has received widespread positive responses, although some have criticized the book because for its mixture of Intelligent Design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
theory and Evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
theory.
Publications
- Spioenduiker Frans Alberts (this youth novel was obligatory reading in South African schools)
- Die Groot Gedagte, Tafelberg, 1997 (this was the first bookBookA book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
about the cosmosCosmosIn the general sense, a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system. It originates from the Greek term κόσμος , meaning "order" or "ornament" and is antithetical to the concept of chaos. Today, the word is generally used as a synonym of the word Universe . The word cosmos originates from the same root...
written in AfrikaansAfrikaansAfrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
)
Awards
- 1988: Insig Prize (the very first) for best scientific publication (which is not a text book) in AfrikaansAfrikaansAfrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
in the previous ten years for Die Groot Gedagte. - Andrew Murray Prize for religious publications