Dr. Clarence Joldersma

Biography

Clarence Joldersma is the resident philosopher and interdisciplinary scholar of the Graduate Studies in Education Program at Calvin University. He has been influenced by theorists from several academic areas, including Thomas Kuhn and Michael Polanyi in philosophy of science, Jurgen Habermas and Emmanuel Levinas in continental philosophy, and Hendrik Hart and Nicholas Wolterstorff in Christian philosophy.

Over fifteen years of experience as a high school science teacher in Ontario have helped shape his thinking about education and schools. His graduate work at the Institute for Christian Studies and the University of Toronto was in philosophy, first the philosophy of science and then philosophy of mind and cognitive science.  

Those who have studied with Professor Joldersma have observed that he works "at the boundaries," at the intersection of political science/theory, sociology, natural sciences (especially biology), and education. In particular what animates him are issues of social justice and sustainability. This wide range of interests enables him to ask philosophical questions that expand conceptual horizons, both for himself and his students. He has an eye for asking penetrating questions, and has a knack of framing complex issues in ways that move thinking forward, without doing it for you.