Alan M. Olson
Encyclopedia
Alan M. Olson is a Professor of the Philosophy of Religion at Boston University
. He received his degrees from Saint Olaf College (BA, History and Philosophy), Luther Theological Seminary (MDiv, Theology), Nashotah House
, where he studied with Anton Arthur Vogel, and Boston University (PhD) where he studied with Peter A. Bertocci, Erazim Kohak
, Harold H. Oliver and John N. Findlay
. He served as Chairman of the Religion Department at Boston University, 1980–1987, and Chairman of the Philosophy Department, ad interim, 1987-1989. During the 1970s he was Program Coordinator of the Boston University Institute for Philosophy and Religion; and was Executive Director of the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy
in Boston, 1998. He was a Senior Fulbright Research Fellow at Karls-Eberhart Universität, Tübingen, Germany, in 1986, where he studied with Klaus Hartmann; and a Senior Fulbright Research Fellow and Visiting Fellow at the Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen, Vienna, Austria, in 1995, where he worked with Krzysztof Michalski
. He served on the Board of Officers of the American Philosophical Association
, 2000–2003; and is past president of the Karl Jaspers Society of North America
. He delivered the Jaspers Lectures at Oxford in 1989; and is currently co-editor, with Helmut Wautischer
, of the philosophical journal, Existenz
. He lives on Cape Cod
with his wife, Janet L. Olson, Professor Emerita, College of Fine Arts, Boston University. They have two daughters, Maren Kirsten, Sonja Astrid, and one grandson, Søren.
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
. He received his degrees from Saint Olaf College (BA, History and Philosophy), Luther Theological Seminary (MDiv, Theology), Nashotah House
Nashotah House
Nashotah House is an Anglo-Catholic seminary of the Episcopal Church located in Nashotah, Wisconsin, approximately 30 miles from Milwaukee, in the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. The seminary opened its doors in 1842 and received its official charter in 1847...
, where he studied with Anton Arthur Vogel, and Boston University (PhD) where he studied with Peter A. Bertocci, Erazim Kohak
Erazim Kohák
Erazim Kohák is a Czech philosopher and writer. His early education was in Prague. After communists took over Czechoslovakia in 1948, his family escaped to the United States....
, Harold H. Oliver and John N. Findlay
John Niemeyer Findlay
John Niemeyer Findlay, known as J. N. Findlay, was a South African philosopher.-Education and Career:...
. He served as Chairman of the Religion Department at Boston University, 1980–1987, and Chairman of the Philosophy Department, ad interim, 1987-1989. During the 1970s he was Program Coordinator of the Boston University Institute for Philosophy and Religion; and was Executive Director of the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy
World Congress of Philosophy
The World Congress of Philosophy is a global meeting of philosophers held every five years in a different country under the auspices of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies . First organized in 1900, these events became firmly established after the Second World War...
in Boston, 1998. He was a Senior Fulbright Research Fellow at Karls-Eberhart Universität, Tübingen, Germany, in 1986, where he studied with Klaus Hartmann; and a Senior Fulbright Research Fellow and Visiting Fellow at the Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen, Vienna, Austria, in 1995, where he worked with Krzysztof Michalski
Krzysztof Michalski
Krzysztof Michalski is a Polish philosopher. He is the founder and current rector of Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen in Vienna. He also teaches at Boston University in the United States.He was a student of Hans-Georg Gadamer.-References:...
. He served on the Board of Officers of the American Philosophical Association
American Philosophical Association
The American Philosophical Association is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. Founded in 1900, its mission is to promote the exchange of ideas among philosophers, to encourage creative and scholarly activity in philosophy, to facilitate the professional work...
, 2000–2003; and is past president of the Karl Jaspers Society of North America
Karl Jaspers Society of North America
The Karl Jaspers Society of North America is a philosophy organization founded on December 28, 1980 through the joint efforts of George B. Pepper , Edith Ehrlich, and the late Leonard H. Ehrlich for promoting the study of the philosophy of Karl Jaspers...
. He delivered the Jaspers Lectures at Oxford in 1989; and is currently co-editor, with Helmut Wautischer
Helmut Wautischer
Helmut Wautischer is a Senior Lecturer in philosophy at Sonoma State University. He received his degrees from Bundeshandelsakademie Klagenfurt and Karl-Franzens University of Graz where he studied with Rudolf Haller and Ernst Topitsch...
, of the philosophical journal, Existenz
Existenz (journal)
Existenz is an on-line biannual academic journal covering research in philosophy, religion, politics, and the arts. It was established in 2005 and is the official journal of the Karl Jaspers Society of North America...
. He lives on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
with his wife, Janet L. Olson, Professor Emerita, College of Fine Arts, Boston University. They have two daughters, Maren Kirsten, Sonja Astrid, and one grandson, Søren.
Books and Edited Works
- Transcendence and Hermeneutics - ISBN 978-9024720927
- The Seeing Eye, Co-Author - ISBN 0271002913
- Hegel and the Spirit - ISBN 0-691-07411-9
- Disguises of the Demonic, Ed. - ISBN 0809618966
- Myth, Symbol, and Reality, Ed. - ISBN 0-268-01346-2
- Transcendence and the Sacred, Co-Ed. - ISBN 0-268-01841-3
- Heidegger and Jaspers, Ed. - ISBN 1-56639-115-6
- Video Icons & Values, Co-Ed. - ISBN 0-7914-0412-9
- Educating for Democracy, Co-Ed. - ISBN 0-7425-3540-1
- Proceedings of the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy, 12 Vols., Exec. Ed. - ISBN 1-889680-19-2