John Paul Foenander
Faculty of Theory of Knowledge John obtained an honours degree in Philosophy from the National University of Singapore. An enduring passion for pondering the most compelling existential questions and concepts fundamental to both our general intellectual and everyday life led him to pursue a Masters degree in the same discipline at the same institution.
John’s stint as a graduate student also saw him in the role of tutor to undergraduates seeking an elementary yet intellectually satisfying, and practically rewarding, understanding of philosophy. His efforts to ensure continuity between the content of his lessons and his students’ pre-university philosophy-related education also led to an intimate familiarity with both the IB Theory of Knowledge and A-Level Knowledge and Inquiry syllabi. He has also undergone International Baccalaureate’s specialised training in teaching Theory of Knowledge and in guiding students for their Creativity, Activity, Service projects.
John believes that the skills of reasoning the Theory of Knowledge course imparts are, in addition to being vital tools for the satisfaction of the intellectual curiosity that burns ceaselessly within all of us, crucial to the improvement of our lives and the human condition. His involvement in philosophy, and in teaching philosophy, has always been guided by the observation that much of human progress, whether in the moral sphere, in understanding the world around us, or in the material domain, has been brought about by the willingness and resolve to examine existing beliefs critically.
He is committed to helping students use what they bring into the classroom – their personal experiences and interests, artistic or otherwise – grow both personally and socially, and to achieve a high degree of self-actualization and self-understanding.
He is also interested in the ways in which various philosophical themes find expression, or enrichment, in various art forms (in particular literature, music and film), and is ever eager to help students bridge or integrate their learning in the arts and in other disciplines.