Doug Thiel

The resident philosopher of PACE is Mr. Doug Thiel, who is a charter member of the program's faculty having taught Introduction to Philosophy during the Fall 1999 semester as he continues to do now. He also teaches Critical Thinking/Analytic Writing and Ethics, and in addition to his teaching duties with PACE, Mr. Thiel is a part-time philosophy professor at Moorpark College and on the Adjunct Faculty at Santa Barbara City College in the Administration of Justice. Administration of Justice is probably something Professor Thiel knows a little about, as he is a 22-year veteran of the Santa Barbara Police Department. He is currently in charge of the hiring and training process for the SBPD from which he will likely retire this year.

Professor Thiel is not just a veteran of the police force, but also of the Vietnam War. A Marine from 1966-69, the future philosopher served a tour of duty in Southeast Asia, which he understandably says had a significant influence on his desire to further his education. Mr. Thiel earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Louisville in 1983, carting away the school's Richard Campbell Smith Award as the outstanding graduating senior in Philosophy in the process. He went on to earn his Master's Degree in Philosophy from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Professor Thiel's philosophical focus has evolved over the years, with the interplay between religion and philosophy getting most of his attention as an undergraduate. In graduate school, his focus shifted more toward analytic philosophy, which eventually led to interest in political philosophy and applied ethics. Mr. Thiel cites Soren Kierkegaard, John Rawls, and Robert Nozick among the philosophers who have influenced his thought. At UCSB, Mr. Thiel enjoyed the mentoring expertise of Professor Burleigh Wilkins, a well published author in contemporary philosophical issues. They continue to be friends to the present day.

As if being a member of the police force and a college professor isn't enough to keep him busy, Mr. Thiel is also the single parent of a 13-year-old daughter, whose education and personal growth are naturally of primary concern to the good professor. As a full-time working adult when he attended college, Professor Thiel finds it easy to relate to his PACE students. When asked about his opinions of PACE students, the professor replied, "I appreciate our interaction in the classroom and I feel these students have a real desire to continue to grow and obtain an education."

Professor Thiel's military experience and education have helped shape his view and beliefs, one of which is that the world needs responsible and informed citizens. Perhaps in this process they will gain a love of wisdom, in Mr. Thiel's PACE classes, thereby adding to the ranks for the world's philosophers.

Note: Doug did retire from the Santa Barbara Police Department in August 2001. In addition to teaching at Moorpark and Oxnard Colleges, Doug currently teaches Social Ethics at California Lutheran University. On May 1st 2005, Doug received the Wallace Stevens Award as the outstanding part-time instructor for 2005 from Oxnard College. Doug is also a currently licensed private investigator in California. In the summer of 2005, Doug was hired to perform background investigations for the Federal Gov't. After being processed for a top secret clearence, Doug was issued credentials by the U.S. Gov't Office of Personnel Management. He performed necessary background checks in the tri-county area to up-date and maintain security entitlements. In early 2007, Doug discontinued this work to focus on workplace learning. Doug is currently involved in "Leadership Academies" for public agencies and works with the Workforce and Economic Development team in the Ventura County Community College District. Doug is looking forward to developing further expertise in this emerging area of continuing adult education.  Also, in 2010, Doug wrote a philosophy text that will be published by Kendall/Hunt in the Summer of 2010.  The title is "Introduction to Philosophy:Understanding the Basics".  In addition to covering the main themes in philosophy, this text provides special insights for students/instructors who utilitze online, hybrid, or telecourse formats for the introduction to philosophy course.