Biography: Josiah Thompson

[Josiah Thompson]

I graduated from Yale in 1957, served in Underwater Demolition Team 21 and then returned to Yale for graduate work in philosophy. I got my MA in 1962 and Ph.D. in 1964 and then was hired by the Philosophy Department. I moved on to Haverford College where I went from Assistant Professor of Philosophy to Associate Professor to Professor of Philosophy during the years 1965 through 1976. During this period, I wrote two books on the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard ["The Lonely Labyrinth" (1967: Southern Illinois University Press) and "Kierkegaard" (1973: Alfred Knopf)] and one on the Kennedy assassination ["Six Seconds in Dallas" (1967: Bernard Geis Associates/Random House)]. In 1978, I quit my job at Haverford as Professor of Philosophy and became a licensed private investigator in San Francisco. This change was described in a final book, "Gumshoe" (1988: Little, Brown & Co.).

[Tim Gratz]

What an incredible career!

I remember studying Kierkegaard in philosophy class in my freshman year in college (copincidentally the year your first book was published).

But why should "Gumshoe" be your final book?

[Josiah Thompson]

What an incredible career!

I remember studying Kierkegaard in philosophy class in my freshman year in college (copincidentally the year your first book was published).

But why should "Gumshoe" be your final book?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks so much for the welcome, Tim. Why nothing since "Gumshoe"? Two reasons: (1) I didn't have anything to say. (2) I've been working too hard making a living. I'm off for a couple of weeks hiking in Wyoming. After that's done I look forward to joining in some of the discussions which I've already sampled. They're really excellent. Thanks again.