ESA SAARINEN
BIOGRAPHY
​
Esa Saarinen (b. 1953) is a Finnish philosopher, business coach, writer, professor emeritus at Aalto University and a well-known public debater.
Saarinen received his doctorate at the University of Helsinki in 1977 with his research on logic and philosophy of language. At the age of 24, Saarinen was one of the youngest doctors in Finland. With the book Punk-Akatemia (1980), which he wrote with Jan Blomsted, Saarinen became known as the "punk doctor". At the University of Helsinki, he worked in the department of philosophy in various positions, e.g. as senior assistant, docent and acting as a professor until 1999.
Photo: Liisa Takala
The book Steel Symphony (1981) written by Saarinen together with MA Numminen and the essays Epäihminen ääni (1984) and Erektio Albertinkatu (1988) rose to cult fame together with Saarinen's LP "Filosofia" (1984) and Saarinen's colorful public appearances. Imagologies: Media Philosophy (1994, together with Mark C. Taylor), which discussed the media philosophy of postmodern culture, is Saarinen's most internationally known work. Saarinen has published extensively on philosophy, and the book The History of Western Philosophy from Peak to Peak from Socrates to Marx (1985) is a basic work in his field.
In the corporate world, Saarinen has worked as a coach and consultant for Nokia and Marimekko, among others. Saarinen has held a large number of seminars aimed at company managers and other personnel in Finland and abroad since 1990, when Saarinen published the book Muutostekijä with the founder of Ensto companies, Ensio Miettinen.
Saarinen is one of the most famous lecturers and speakers in Finland. Saarinen was awarded the Eino Kaila prize of the University of Helsinki for his teaching merits. Saarinen has also had a close connection with technical sciences for a long time: in 2001, he was invited as a professor of system sciences, applied philosophy and creative problem solving at the University of Technology (now Aalto University). Saarinen retired from Aalto University in 2021.
​
Website: