Mathew Chandrankunnel

Mathew Chandrankunnel
Born (1958-04-26) 26 April 1958
Nationality Indian
Occupation Professor of philosophy of science
Known for Philosophy of Quantum mechanics

Mathew Chandrankunnel CMI (born 26 April 1958)[1] is a professor of philosophy of science at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram] and Christ University, both in Bangalore, India. He is the author of several books including "Philosophy of Quantum mechanics" and "Ascent to Truth: The Physics, philosophy and Religion of Galileo Galilei".[2] He is a scientist, philosopher and theologian.[3]

Birth and Education

Mathew Chandrankunnel was born on 26 April 1958.He started his formal education in 1962 and completed his S.S.L.C. in 1972.Thereafter he joined the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I.),St.Joseph's provinceKottayam.[1] in 1973,and continued with his pre-university studies from 1974 to 1976. The next two years i.e.1976 to 1978 was his novitiate period,after which on 11 May 1978 he made his first profession which was followed by his philosophical and theological studies at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, Bengaluru, after which on 5 May 1987 he was ordained a priest of the in the Syro-Malabar Church.Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.He went to Telangana in Andhra Pradesh in the early 1990s, living with the Naxalites and trying to understand their movement.[4] Chandrankunnel Studied Physics and Philosophy in several Indian universities as mentioned below.:[5]

Bachelor of Philosophy 1978-1980

(Thesis: “The Integration of Science and Religion in the Works of Teilhard de Chardin”)

Bachelor of Science (Physics) 1980-1983

Diploma in Journalism (Trainnee, Deepika Daily) 1983-1984

Bachelor of Theology 1984-1987

(Thesis: “Application of the Principle of Uncertainty in Solving the Theological Problem of the Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith”)

Master of Science (Physics) 1988-1989

Licentiate in Philosophy, DVK (LPh/MPh) 1989-1991

(Thesis: “Dimensions of Reality: The Philosophy of Physics of David Bohm”)

Master of Philosophy (MA, Leuven, Belgium) 1992-1993

(Thesis: “The Ontological Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics”)

On 30 January 1998 he was awarded a PhD in Philosophy of Science from theUniversity of Leuven in Belgium. During his Doctoral Research he worked under Aage Bohr, Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, and Ilya Prigogine in developing his thesis which “compared the interpretations of Niels Bohr and David Boehm interpretation of Quantum Mechanics.”.[4] He did his post-doctoral research at the Harvard, Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, as Research Associate of Prof. Owen Gingerich and worked on the project titled “Scientific Cosmological Theories and Its Acceptance by the Church” in the year 2007 and lectured at the State University of New York.[6]

Later career

'Academic Career

Mathew Chandrankunnel began his teaching as at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram and was appointed as a lecturer in the Faculty of Philosophy during the year 1989 to 1992. He was permanently appointed in the Faculty of Philosophy at DVK on 5 May 2000. On 26 July YEAR he was appointed Associate Professor of Philosophy. The various subjects taught by Professor Chandrankunnel during the year 1988 – 1992 for the students of Bachelor of Philosophy were Philosophy of Science and Nature, Modern Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Science and Religion, and Philosophy of Journalism. Thereafter, since 1998 he has been teaching students pursuing Licentiate in Philosophy, and the subjects handled by professor Matthew include “From Quantum Holism to Cosmic Holism,” “Brain, Mind and Artificial Intelligence,” “Search for Unity and Interconnectedness,” “A Meeting Point between Science and Religion,” “Space, Time and Space – Time in Science, Philosophy and Religion,” “Matter, Life and Mind: A Continuum,” and “Philosophy of Biotechnology.”

Professor Mathew Chandrankunnel has also been conducting classes during the month of October at various institutes across India on the subject “Science and Religion” for students’ pursuing their bachelors in Philosophy; some of those institutes are:


  1. Paurasthyan Vidya Peedam, Vadavathoor, Kerala
  2. St. Joseph’s Seminary, Mangaluru, Karnataka
  3. Christ Nagar IMS Philosophate, Varanasi Uttar Pradesh
  4. SVD Philosophate, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
  5. St. Antony’s Friary Philosophate, Bangalore
  6. Vidyadeep College, Bangalore
  7. The Retreat, Salesian Philosophate, Yerkad, Tamil Nadu

Administrative Engagements

Professor Mathew Chandrankunnel, apart from his teaching career, has offered his valuable services at various offices in the administration of DVK since the year 1999 and continues till today. The various offices assumed are:

Registrar (1999- 2006):
 As the chief operating officer of the Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram, Pontifical Athenaeum of Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law (www. dvk.in) helped the President and the Deans to run the pontifical Athenaeum with 1200 students, 4 affiliated Institutes and more than 60 staff.

Director of the Centre for the Studies of World Religions (1999-2006):
 Professor Mathew had planned and still continues to execute the one-month programme on “Religions in Contemporary India” for international students from the European and the American Universities with lectures and exposure to world religions. The course is designed to have both theoretical inputs and practical exposure to all world religions. Visits are arranged to Hindu Ashrams, Buddhist Viharas, Sikh Gurudwara, Jain Pilgrimage centers and temples, Muslim Madarasas, Eastern Christian Ashrams, Indian Art forms, in addition to interactions with the scholars and faithful of each religion. Along with this Prof. Mathew, for the past three years, has also organised an exposure programme titled “Religions in Contemporary India” for more than 200 students in collaboration with various reputed professors from around the globe, and they are: Prof. Dr. Bert Brockaret, Interdisciplinary Centre for Religious Studies, Director, Faculty of Theology, K.U. Leuven, Belgium, Prof. Dr. Johann Ev. Hafner, Institute Fur Religionswissenschaft (Schwerpunkt Christentum), Universitat Potsdam, Germany, Prof. Dr. Ramprasad, University of Lancaster, United Kingdom, Prof. Dr. Erik Eynikel, Old Testament Exegesis, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Dr Stephen Downs, Head, School of Theology, flinders University of South Australia, Australia, And Dr. Edward Ulrich, University of St. Thomas, Department of Theology, St. Paul, Minnestoa, USA . As the director he has also designed a 6 months lecture series on “Rationality, Religion and Progress” in collaboration with the leading organisations in Bangalore such as Young Men Christian Association, Bangalore Initiative for Religious Dialogue, Fire Flies Ashram and Bangalore Forum for Science and religion. This programme was started during the academic year 2006-2007 and is being continued till today. Professor Mathew has also presided over and lectured at many public and religious gatherings in and around Bangalore which has been recognised in promoting religious harmony and social peace, in the State and National level. He was also invited to serve as the director to the board of the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore and as the executive committee for the Inter religious Dialogue Commission of Catholic Bishops Conference of India, New Delhi.

The other offices held by him are:

As a member in other institution and organisation, Professor Mathew Chandrankunnel, apart from his services in the administration of DVK, has also been appointed to various posts at different institutions and organisations and has also been the member of various association in and around the world. The various positions held are as follows:

Various Awards Awarded to Professor Mathew Chandrankunnel
Professor Mathew has been recognised and awarded for his achievements and contribution in various fields and they are as follows:
In July 2000 he won the science and Religion Course Award from the centre for theology and Natural science in Berkeley, California for his contribution titled “ Search for unity and interconnectedness: Meeting point between Science and religion.
Local society’s initiative Supplemental grant from a group awarded him twice as the best Chairman of the local societies i.e. during the year 2003 and 2004 with a monetary award of $10000. Professor Mathew was thus selected for this award from a large group of 200 local societies’ initiatives around the world.

At the Editors Desk
Professor Mathew Chandrankunnel apart from his teaching career and social service has also served as an editor for various publications like:

Books Published :

Articles Authored :

Other Journalistic Contributions
Professor Mathew has written over 500 articles in his own mother tongue i.e. in Malayalam.He has also served as a correspondent at Deepika, Bangalore from the year 1989 – 1992; Deepika Chennai correspondent, from the year 1988 – 1989; and also as the Science Editor, Journalism Trainee from the year 1983 – 1984.

Papers Presented Around the Globe
A good and excellent orator by nature Prof. Mathew has presented various papers with variations in subjects, which includes Science, Religion, philosophy, Technology; Cultures and so on.; at different platforms around the world are listed below:

Apart from these he has also participated in many National and International conferences.

Radio Talk
Prof. Mathew has also given talks on air at All India Radio Station in the year 2003 and 2004 during the month of October based on the Theme on Science and Religion.

Thesis Advisory Prof. Mathew Chandrankunnel has been a prominent and beloved teacher among his students and even among those who are not his students. He owns a simple personality because of which students find it easy to approach him for guidance especially for their thesis work at different levels of their academic carrier. A few theses from the hundreds guided by him are listed below:

Licentiate Thesis:

He was a founding member in 2001 of the Bangalore Initiative for Religious Dialogue, which attempts to defuse tensions between religious communities such as Hindus, Christians and Muslims.

He organised the conference "Merging Boundaries: Mysticism, Science and Religion", inaugurated by Sri Ravi Shankar. He has worked as science editor of Deepika daily newspaper and as its Chennai and Bangalore correspondent.[5]

A group of Indian Christians issued a letter on 1 January 2007 to various world leaders entitled A Campaign Declaration: Bangalore Initiative for Religious Dialogue (BIRD). Chandrankunnel was one of the signatories. The group asserted that the 1977 ruling by India's Supreme Court that a citizen had the right to "profess, practice and propagate" ones religion does not include the right to convert another.[7] The group called for a change to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to prohibit conversion through material incentives, coercion, threats or intimidation. However, the BIRD members affirmed the Great Commission that "unequivocally calls us to witness to Christ in a pluralistic setting".[8]

Chandrankunnel was visiting professor at the University of Leuven, Faculty of Philosophy in April–May 2010. He lectured on the Physics, Philosophy and Religion of Galileo.[5] In June 2011 he addressed a seminar on "Nation building and minority welfare", saying every citizen had a duty to bring the marginalised towards mainstream society.[9] As of 2012 Chandrankunnel was an associate director of Geothirbhavan – Georgian CMI Centre for Counselling, Training and Transformation.[10] He was also Director-Coordination of the Chaavara Cancer Research Institute.[6] He was a member of the Association of Christian Philosophers of India.[11]

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 "Mathew Chandrankunnel". The Syro-Malabar Church Internet Mission. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "Mathew Chandrankunnel". Academia.edu. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "A world of science and art". Deccan Herald. 14 November 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 "Activist physicist". The Hindu. 11 November 2002. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 "Biodata". Mathew Chandrankunnel. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 "Organization". Chaavara Cancer Research Institute. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  7. ↑ "A Campaign Declaration – Bangalore Initiative for Religious Dialogue (BIRD)". World Council of Churches. 1 January 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  8. ↑ "Witness in a Multireligious World". Presbyterian Churcj (USA). Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  9. ↑ "Bharat Nirman commences in Pala". The Hindu. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  10. ↑ "Board of Administration". Georgian CMI Centre for Counselling, Training and Transformation. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  11. ↑ "Members' Contact Details". ACPI. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
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