A while back we had a spirited discussion regarding the exact occupation of Professor Timothy Eliot Stokes. Some thought him to be a history professor, some an English prof, an Education prof, and a sociologist, if memory serves correct. Someone else insisted that he was a medical doctor.
My personal take was that Stokes is a professor of psychology with a specialty in parapsychology. (It was during the 1970s that parapsychology departments began springing up as offshoots of psychology departments, e.g. SRI at Stanford, etc.) With his interest in the occult and the I-Ching, I would particularly see him as Jungian psychologist (psychology pioneer Jung was deeply interested in the occult, psychic phenomena, and the I-Ching).
Friday's episode brought this discussion to mind again when Professor Stokes tells Julia that he is going to see the "patient." "The patient?" Julia asks, with a slightly wry smile. Stokes explains that a doctor-so-and-so has called him in to consult on the case of Sabrina what's her name.
This exchange reinforced my view that Professor Stokes is indeed a professor of psychology, though not currently a psychological practioner. It seems he would have been called in because of his expertise in psychology ... at least that seems more likely to me than a doctor calling in a history prof, English prof, etc.
And Julia's comment and expression would seem to argue against the view that Stokes has a medical degree. If he had, why the wry smile about him seeing a "patient"?
Most likely, Professor Stokes has had some experience seeing clients but is primarily an academic psychologist today -- with a special interest in psychic research at Rockport College.
