Richard Schoenig

I was born and raised, for the most part, in Bergenfield, New Jersey—a suburb of New York City. I received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Fordham University in the Bronx and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Note that Fordham and Notre Dame are Catholic universities.

After a two-year stint as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers by way of an ROTC commitment, I earned an MA and PhD in Philosophy from Indiana University, Bloomington.

I’ve published in a variety of chemistry and philosophy journals, although primarily the latter, as I have long since left my chemistry career behind me. I’m the author of an introduction to philosophy textbook entitled, Exploring Philosophy and have written popular articles for magazines such as The American Rationalist, Free Inquiry, The Humanist, and Secular World. I’ve also had one poem published during my short “portrait of the artist as a young man” period of my life.

In 2020 I retired after teaching philosophy at San Antonio College for 45 years.

On a somewhat more personal level—when not trying to figure out the meaning of life, I can be found grousing about politics, playing Scrabble, doing crossword puzzles, rooting for the San Antonio Spurs, working on physical fitness—including the occasional pickup basketball game, and enjoying the Davis Mountains in West Texas around the town of Fort Davis and the Rocky Mountains in Southwestern Colorado around the town of Silverton.