David Robert Loy is a professor of Buddhist and comparative philosophy (now retired). He is also a Zen teacher in the Sanbo Zen tradition of Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is a prolific author, and his articles appear regularly in the pages of Buddhist magazines including Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, and Buddhadharma, as well as in a variety of scholarly journals. David focuses primarily on the encounter between Buddhism and modernity: what each can learn from the other. He is especially concerned about social and ecological issues. Presently he is offering talks and workshops on Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis, published in 2019. He also leads meditation retreats.
His BA is from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and he studied analytic philosophy at King’s College, University of London. His MA is from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu and his PhD is from the National University of Singapore. His dissertation was published by Yale University Press as Nonduality: A Study in Comparative Philosophy. In June 2014, David received an honorary degree from Carleton College, his alma mater, during its 2014 Commencement. In April 2016 David returned his honorary degree to the College, to protest the decision of the Board of Trustees not to divest from fossil fuel companies.
