John Elof Boodin
Encyclopedia
John Elof Boodin was a Swedish
-born American philosopher and educator. He was the author of numerous books proposing a systematic interpretation of nature.
Municipality of Kronoberg County
in the province of Småland
, Sweden
. He was educated at the University of Colorado
and University of Minnesota
. He was influenced by the psychologist
J. R. Angell, William James
, and Josiah Royce
. He studied philosophy at Brown University
, under James Seth, before doctoral work at Harvard University
, which he completed in 1899.
(1900–1904), the University of Kansas
(1904–1913), Carleton College, Minnesota (1913–1927), University of Southern California
, and University of California at Los Angeles (1927–1928). He also served as president of the American Philosophical Association
, Western Division (1932–33).
; membership in the Author's Club (London); appointment as Sir John Adams Lecturer in 1935 and as Faculty Research Lecturer in 1937 at the University of California at Los Angeles.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
-born American philosopher and educator. He was the author of numerous books proposing a systematic interpretation of nature.
Background
John Elof Boodin was born in the Pjätteryd Parish in ÄlmhultÄlmhult
Älmhult is a locality and the seat of Älmhult Municipality in Kronoberg County, Sweden with 8,518 inhabitants in 2005.It was in Älmhult that the first IKEA store was built, and IKEA still has a large corporate presence here....
Municipality of Kronoberg County
Kronoberg County
Kronoberg County is a County or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Skåne, Halland, Jönköping, Kalmar and Blekinge. Its capital is the city Växjö.- Province :For History, Geography and Culture see: Småland...
in the province of Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He was educated at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
and University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. He was influenced by the psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
J. R. Angell, William James
William James
William James was a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher who was trained as a physician. He wrote influential books on the young science of psychology, educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and on the philosophy of pragmatism...
, and Josiah Royce
Josiah Royce
Josiah Royce was an American objective idealist philosopher.-Life:Royce, born in Grass Valley, California, grew up in pioneer California very soon after the California Gold Rush. He received the B.A...
. He studied philosophy at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, under James Seth, before doctoral work at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, which he completed in 1899.
Career
Boodin held positions at Grinnell CollegeGrinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
(1900–1904), the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
(1904–1913), Carleton College, Minnesota (1913–1927), University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, and University of California at Los Angeles (1927–1928). He also served as president of the American Philosophical Association
American Philosophical Association
The American Philosophical Association is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. Founded in 1900, its mission is to promote the exchange of ideas among philosophers, to encourage creative and scholarly activity in philosophy, to facilitate the professional work...
, Western Division (1932–33).
Awards and honors
Among many honors bestowed upon him were his election to membership (1937) in the permanent council of the World Congress of PhilosophyWorld Congress of Philosophy
The World Congress of Philosophy is a global meeting of philosophers held every five years in a different country under the auspices of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies . First organized in 1900, these events became firmly established after the Second World War...
; membership in the Author's Club (London); appointment as Sir John Adams Lecturer in 1935 and as Faculty Research Lecturer in 1937 at the University of California at Los Angeles.
Selected works
- Time and Reality (1904)
- Truth and Reality: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (1911)
- A Realistic Universe - An Introduction to Metaphysics (1916)
- Cosmic Evolution: Outlines of Cosmic Idealism (1925)
- God and Creation (1934) two volumes: Three Interpretations of the Universe, and God
- The Social Mind; Foundations of Social Philosophy (1939)
- Religion Of Tomorrow (1943)
- Studies in Philosophy; the Posthumous Papers of John Elof Boodin (1957)
Other sources
- Nelson, Charles H. John Elof Boodin: Philosopher-Poet (New York: Philosophical Library. 1987)
- E. C. Holmes, Social Philosophy and the Social Mind. A Study of the Genetic Methods of J. M. Baldwin, G. H. Mead and John Elof Boodin (NJ 1942)
- J. A. Martin, Empirical Philosophers of Religion, with Special Reference to Boodin, Brightman, Hocking, Macintosh and Wieman (NJ 1945)