The History of Dr. Isaac Choi

Reported By: Kate Mack

Photographed By: Yolanda Diaz

Professor Isaac Choi, director of the Honors Program and associate professor of Philosophy, is well-known around the George Fox University (GFU) campus. Students from the  Honors Program, to the Theology department, to even the Biology department know who he is. Though he has his Ph.D. in philosophy, Choi’s first love as a young boy growing up in Chicago was science. 

Choi grew up as a quiet, shy kid. As the son of two Korean immigrants, his story is unique as his family is from both North and South Korea. As his grandfather helped engineer the electrical grid in North Korea and his father was a mechanical engineer, an aptitude for science seemed to run in his blood. After he went to his state science fair and presented an experiment where he tested reaction time and showed that age affects reaction time in adults and children, he decided he wanted to eventually study science at Harvard University. 

At Harvard, Choi majored in physics, known to be one of the most challenging majors. After many sleepless nights and endless physics problems, Choi changed his major to chemistry. While studying chemistry at Harvard, Choi focused on quantum chemistry and biological chemistry. In his study of quantum chemistry, Choi began to ask questions that even his professors could not answer as his inquiries were more philosophical; he questioned the nature of the universe and humanity. He realized that answers to such questions could not be found solely in chemistry or physics, and the philosophical nature and religious implications of these questions led him to God. 

After college, Choi had planned to attend medical school. Yet soon after applying to medical schools, Choi chose to instead study theology at Princeton Seminary. While at Princeton, Choi used his background in chemistry and physics to not only learn more about the universe but also to study the metaphysics and epistemology of divine action. After receiving two master’s from Princeton, he studied at Notre Dame for his Ph.D. where he researched topics like the cosmological fine-tuning argument for the existence of God, theological and philosophical anthropology, and the epistemic significance of tradition and majority opinion in theology. After receiving his doctorate from Notre Dame, Choi applied to and was accepted for a position here at GFU.

Choi began working at GFU not only because of the environment here on campus, but also because he wanted to share deep theological and philosophical ideas with students and faculty who truly had a desire to learn. Choi began in the Honors Program and continues to love it to this day. His background in physics, chemistry, and philosophy has allowed him to be able to answer questions from any student, no matter their major. Professor Choi has become a pillar in the GFU community and continues to impact students and faculty alike.