John E. Thomas
Encyclopedia
John E. Thomas (1926, Merthyr Tydfil
, Wales
– 1996, Parry Sound, Ontario
, Canada) was a Canadian philosopher and pioneer of medical ethics
in Canada.
From 1960 to 1991 Thomas was Chairman of the Department of Philosophy at McMaster University
. From 1985 to 1991 he was also Adjunct Professor of Medicine at McMaster University's Faculty of Health Sciences. He was a columnist for The Canadian Doctor from 1986 to 1988, and a columnist for Canadian Family Physician
from 1991 to 1996.
Born in Merthyr Tydfill, Wales in 1926 John Thomas moved to Birmingham
, England with his parents David Llewlyn Thomas and Ann Olwyn Thomas where he worked for two years at the B.S.A. Thomas moved to Scotland to enter the Bible Training Institute
in Glasgow
, Scotland and there met Moreen Duff Muir, daughter of noted Scottish herbalist William C. Muir and Jeanne Duff. Thomas married Moreen Muir in 1947 and emigrated to Canada where he settled in St. Catharines, Ontario Canada. In 1949 their first child, David William Thomas
was born. John Thomas completed entered high school in St. Catharines, completed his grade 13 curriculum and then enrolled at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario
, Canada in a Bachelor of Arts program. The Thomas family moved to Toronto in 1950 where John Thomas took the pastorship of Ebenezer Baptist Church on Burnhamthorpe Road, in Etobicoke, Ontario. Their second child, Ian Campbell Thomas
was born in 1950. Thomas was the pastor at Ebenezer while he completed his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity at McMaster University. In 1954 the Thomas family emigrated to the US where John Thomas won a scholarship at Duke University
in Durham, North Carolina
in the masters program in Philosophy
. John Thomas completed the Masters Program and the Doctorate Program (PhD) at Duke University in 1960. In 1960 the Thomas family returned to Hamilton, Ontario where John Thomas accepted an assistant professorship at the Department of Philosophy at McMaster University. Thomas lectured at McMaster until his retirement in 1993.
He is the father of actor and comedian Dave Thomas
and musician Ian Thomas
.
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
– 1996, Parry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound is a town in Central Ontario, Canada, located on Parry Sound on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is located south of Sudbury and north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It is also the...
, Canada) was a Canadian philosopher and pioneer of medical ethics
Medical ethics
Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine. As a scholarly discipline, medical ethics encompasses its practical application in clinical settings as well as work on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology.-History:Historically,...
in Canada.
From 1960 to 1991 Thomas was Chairman of the Department of Philosophy at McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
. From 1985 to 1991 he was also Adjunct Professor of Medicine at McMaster University's Faculty of Health Sciences. He was a columnist for The Canadian Doctor from 1986 to 1988, and a columnist for Canadian Family Physician
Canadian Family Physician
Canadian Family Physician is a monthly peer-reviewed open-access medical journal and the official journal of The College of Family Physicians Canada...
from 1991 to 1996.
Born in Merthyr Tydfill, Wales in 1926 John Thomas moved to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England with his parents David Llewlyn Thomas and Ann Olwyn Thomas where he worked for two years at the B.S.A. Thomas moved to Scotland to enter the Bible Training Institute
Bible Training Institute
The International Christian College in Glasgow was formed in 1998 as the result of a merger between Glasgow Bible College and Northumbria Bible College , moving to its present premises at 110 St...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland and there met Moreen Duff Muir, daughter of noted Scottish herbalist William C. Muir and Jeanne Duff. Thomas married Moreen Muir in 1947 and emigrated to Canada where he settled in St. Catharines, Ontario Canada. In 1949 their first child, David William Thomas
Dave Thomas (actor)
David "Dave" Thomas is a Canadian comedian and actor. He was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, but moved to Durham, North Carolina where his father, John E. Thomas, attended Duke University and earned a PhD in Philosophy. Thomas attended George Watts and Moorehead elementary schools...
was born. John Thomas completed entered high school in St. Catharines, completed his grade 13 curriculum and then enrolled at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Canada in a Bachelor of Arts program. The Thomas family moved to Toronto in 1950 where John Thomas took the pastorship of Ebenezer Baptist Church on Burnhamthorpe Road, in Etobicoke, Ontario. Their second child, Ian Campbell Thomas
Ian Thomas (Canadian musician)
Ian Thomas is a singer, songwriter, actor and author. He is younger brother to famed comedian and actor Dave Thomas.-Career:...
was born in 1950. Thomas was the pastor at Ebenezer while he completed his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity at McMaster University. In 1954 the Thomas family emigrated to the US where John Thomas won a scholarship at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
in the masters program in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. John Thomas completed the Masters Program and the Doctorate Program (PhD) at Duke University in 1960. In 1960 the Thomas family returned to Hamilton, Ontario where John Thomas accepted an assistant professorship at the Department of Philosophy at McMaster University. Thomas lectured at McMaster until his retirement in 1993.
He is the father of actor and comedian Dave Thomas
Dave Thomas (actor)
David "Dave" Thomas is a Canadian comedian and actor. He was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, but moved to Durham, North Carolina where his father, John E. Thomas, attended Duke University and earned a PhD in Philosophy. Thomas attended George Watts and Moorehead elementary schools...
and musician Ian Thomas
Ian Thomas (Canadian musician)
Ian Thomas is a singer, songwriter, actor and author. He is younger brother to famed comedian and actor Dave Thomas.-Career:...
.
Works
- Russell in Review (Publisher: Hakkert & Company Toronto 1976)
- Matters of life and Death (Publisher: Samuel Stevens, Toronto 1978)
- Musings on the Meno (Publisher: Martinus Nijhoff 1980)
- Well and Good (Publisher: Broadview Press 1987).