▁sides ▁in ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War ▁and ▁served ▁with ▁both ▁the ▁Union ▁and ▁Confeder ate ▁arm ies ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁ ▁Van ▁Norden ' s ▁father ▁was ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁Navy ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁corpor ate ▁secretary ▁at ▁Kenn am etal , ▁an ▁industrial ▁tool ▁company . ▁ ▁In ▁high ▁school , ▁Van ▁Norden ' s ▁interest ▁in ▁China ▁was ▁stim ulated ▁by ▁the ▁K ung - fu ▁cra ze ▁following ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁Bruce ▁Lee ' s ▁Enter ▁the ▁Dragon ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁and ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁China ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Ma o ▁Z ed ong ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁philosophy ▁while ▁particip ating ▁in ▁inter sch ol astic ▁debate ▁over ▁the ▁legit im acy ▁of ▁military ▁cons cription . ▁ ▁At ▁college , ▁he ▁studied ▁both ▁philosophy ▁and ▁Chinese ▁language ▁and ▁culture . ▁ ▁Although ▁his ▁interest ▁in ▁Chinese ▁philosophy ▁was ▁disc ou rag ed ▁by ▁both ▁philosoph ers ▁and ▁Sin olog ists , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁purs ue ▁Chinese ▁philosophy ▁in ▁gradu ate ▁school . ▁ ▁Among ▁Van ▁Norden ' s ▁h obb ies ▁are ▁pok er , ▁and ▁he ▁has ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Series ▁of ▁P oker ▁in ▁Las ▁Veg as . ▁ ▁Academ ic ▁career ▁ ▁Van ▁Norden ▁received ▁his ▁B A ▁in ▁philosophy ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁He ▁attended ▁Stan ford ▁University ▁on ▁a