Esther Lightcap Meek is Professor of Philosophy at Geneva College, in Beaver Falls, PA. She is also a Fujimura Institute Fellow Scholar, working with Artist Makoto Fujimura. Esther is a philosopher, author, and speaker. She is committed to unpacking important philosophical ideas that make a concrete difference for people in all walks of life. Meek received a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies/Philosophy from Cedarville College, her MA in Humanities/Philosophy from Western Kentucky University, and a PhD in philosophy from Temple University. Her PhD dissertation explored the epistemic realism of 20 th century premier scientist-turned- philosopher Michael Polanyi. She is a Board Member with the Michael Polanyi Society, and a frequent contributor to the Polanyi Society Journal, Tradition and Discovery. A majority of her work to date engages epistemology, which is the philosophical study of how knowing works. She titles her own epistemic proposals, “covenant epistemology.” Covenant epistemology proposes that the best paradigm of human knowing is the interpersonal, covenantally constituted, relationship, and best typified by the redemptive encounter. She works to challenge the widespread but defective “epistemic default” of Western modernist epistemology, carrying out the “epistemological therapy” required for transformative philosophical healing. Covenant epistemology describes knowing in all areas; knowing how knowing works makes a concrete difference to you work, as well as proving personally, transformatively, healing. Esther’s books include: Longing to Know: The Philosophy of Knowledge for Ordinary People ; Loving to Know: Introducing Covenant Epistemology ; A Little Manual for Knowing ; and Contact With Reality: Michael Polanyi’s Realism and Why It Matters. An earlier book she coauthored with Church Expert Donald J. MacNair: The Practices of a Healthy Church. Her current book project is a series, Doorways, in which each small volume will work out covenant epistemology’s application in a specific discipline such as art, business, therapy, and education. Esther speaks to universities, high schools, faculty and students, as well as to churches, giving keynote talks, and conducting epistemology workshops. She is featured selectively on some public videos and podcasts.
