Dr. Sanford W. Wood
Sanford W. Wood received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Vanderbilt at the age of 29. Some years later he returned to graduate school for post-doctoral studies in computer science and artificial intelligence. During his 40-year teaching career, his preferred subject of instruction was logic.
Near the end of his career, Dr. Wood began organizing his cumulative knowledge to create a logic textbook that would be both challenging and engaging for students, going beyond the often dry applications most commonly found in other texts. But his wife’s failing health forced him to put his work on hold for several years. After her death, Dr. Wood was able to return to his endeavor, completing it in 2019.
He now lives alone with his two cats and pursues his hobbies – gardening and cooking. He maintains a large vegetable garden with a small orchard, and uses the produce he grows to make jams, pickles, and sweetbreads to give to friends and family and sell at the local farmers’ market. He is still active in church and civic affairs, where he often accepted positions of responsibility in years past. However, as he approaches 80, Dr. Wood has decided to take a more passive role and pass the baton on to the younger generation, preferring now to spend his time in quiet contemplation with his cats and his garden.