John Elof Boodin

John Elof Boodin (November 14, 1869 – November 14, 1950) was a Swedish-born American philosopher and educator. He authored numerous books that proposed a systematic interpretation of nature, successfully preserving the tradition of philosophical idealism within the framework of contemporary science. Boodin also focused on the social nature of human behavior, believing that an understanding of it required an appreciation of individual participation in social life and interpersonal relationships. He was educated at Augustana College, the University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Minnesota, Brown University, and Harvard University, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1899. Boodin held positions at Grinnell College, the University of Kansas, Carleton College, the University of Southern California, and the University of California at Los Angeles. He published eight books and over sixty articles. His work papers are maintained at the University of California Los Angeles Library Special Collections.