Ray VanArragon
Email: rvanarra@bethel.edu
Job Titles
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Professor of Philosophy
Music and Theatre, College of Arts and Sciences -
Dean of Faculty
Bethel University
Highlight
VanArragon is Dean of Faculty and Professor of Philosophy
Started at Bethel
2005
Education
- Calvin College - B.A. in Philosophy, 1995
- University of Notre Dame - Ph.D. in Philosophy, 2002
Biography
VanArragon has been interested in philosophy for as long as he can remember, but he decided to major in philosophy and pursue a career in the subject during his freshman year in college. Issues in philosophy of religion were the ones that initially pulled him in, and those concerns have motivated his study of various subjects in philosophy since then. For example, in graduate school at Notre Dame his wrote his dissertation on skepticism. The official topic was skepticism about sense perception and the like, but it was and remains skepticism about religious claims that has motivated his interest in the subject. These days he most enjoy spending time with his family--his wife Janel and their children Caleb and Kathryn. They enjoy reading books, playing games, going for walks, and playing golf (and in the winter, playing hockey).
Professional Organizations, Committees, and Boards
President, Faculty Senate, Bethel University College of Arts and Sciences
Areas of expertise
VanArragon explores the ways Christians ought to deal with religious diversity and disagreement about moral and political issues. His interests also include philosophy of religion, skepticism about religious claims, free will, and moral responsibility.