About Raymond W. Bernard – Clarifying the Use of the Title “Doctor”

 

On this blog, you'll find translations of works by Raymond W. Bernard, a writer known for his interest in spiritual topics, natural health, and unconventional theories — among them the now well-known The Hollow Earth.

In many English-language publications, his name appears as Dr. Raymond W. Bernard. This is a common convention in the United States, where anyone holding a doctoral degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.) is typically addressed as Doctor — regardless of whether their field is medicine, philosophy, education, or the arts.

However, in many other countries — including Romania, France, or Brazil — the term “doctor” is most commonly understood to mean a medical doctor. To avoid confusion, I have chosen to refer to Raymond W. Bernard on this blog without the “Dr.” title, even though he did in fact hold a doctoral degree.

📚 According to several sources, Bernard — whose birth name was Walter Siegmeister — graduated from Columbia University in 1924 and went on to receive his Master’s (1930) and Ph.D. (1932) in education from New York University. His doctoral thesis was titled Theory and Practice of Dr. Rudolf Steiner’s Pedagogy (NYU, School of Education, 1932).

Below are the academic degrees associated with his name:

• A.B. (Artium Baccalaureus) – Latin for Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), a degree typically awarded in the fields of arts and humanities

• M.A. (Master of Arts) – A graduate degree in areas such as humanities, social sciences, or fine arts

• Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) – A terminal academic degree earned after advanced study and original research; this is not the same as an M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), which refers specifically to licensed physicians

In his writings, Bernard occasionally discusses topics related to physiology or health. These passages often compile or reference the views of earlier authors, including medical professionals active in the early 20th century. Given the above considerations, readers are encouraged to apply their own critical thinking when exploring such content — especially when it touches on science or the human body.