Martien Schreurs was born on August 16, 1966, in Vinkeveen. In 1988, Martien Schreurs began studying philosophy and psychology at the University of Amsterdam, and starting in 1990, he combined his philosophy studies with a full-time program in humanistics at the University of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht. He completed his degree in philosophy in 1993 with honors and graduated with honors in humanistics from the University of Humanistic Studies in 1996. Starting in 1996, Martien Schreurs began his doctoral research, which he alternated with teaching at various colleges, the University of Humanistic Studies, and, starting in 2002, secondary schools. He obtained his first-degree teaching certification in 1998. On February 7, 2003, Martien Schreurs received his Ph.D. from the University of Humanistic Studies with a dissertation on the influence of the Bildungsideal in contemporary fiction. Harry Mulisch was present at the ceremony. From 2002 to 2005, Martien Schreurs worked as a history teacher at the Hervormd Lyceum in Amsterdam and the Berger Scholen Gemeenschap in Bergen, and as a philosophy teacher at the Amsterdam Youth Theater. Since August 2005, he has once again been affiliated with the University of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht as a lecturer in philosophy.