He received his degrees from Saint Olaf College (BA, History and Philosophy), Luther Theological Seminary (M.Div., Theology), Nashotah House, where he studied with Arthur Anton Vogel, and Boston University (Ph.D.) where he studied with Peter Anthony Bertocci, Erazim Kohak, Harold H. Oliver and John N. Findlay.

He served on the Board of Officers of the American Philosophical Association, 2000–2003; and was past president of the Karl Jaspers Society of North America.

He delivered the Jaspers Lectures at university college, Oxford in 1989; and was co-editor, with Helmut Wautischer, of the philosophical journal, Existenz from 2006 to 2015.

He lived on Cape Cod with his wife, Janet L. Olson, professor emerita, College of Fine Arts, Boston University.

He is survived by Janet and their two daughters, Maren Kirsten and Sonja Astrid, and one grandson, Søren.