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) 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". He is a scientist, philosopher and theologian.

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. 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. Chandrankunnel Studied Physics and Philosophy in several Indian universities as mentioned below.:

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.”. 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.

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:

• He served as the Director of Licentiate in Philosophy during the year 2006-2007 and it was during his time of directorship that a new postgraduate programme in inter-religious studies was designed and conducted.
• He was the Indian co-coordinator for the Science-Religion Summit in Bangalore in 2003.
• He was Director of Post Graduate Hostel, Cafeteria Director during the year 2002-2007
• The office that Professor Mathew Chandrankunnel holds at present is as the founder and Chairman of Bangalore Forum for Science and Religion and this office have been held by him since the year 1998. He has been successfully working down the years by organising Lectures, seminars, workshops, at local, national and international levels for the past 18 years. As part of this organisation for three years he worked on project of the Metanexus Institutes Local societies Initiative Grant programme, for which he was awarded. Though the project has come to an end the forum continues to work actively.

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:

• Chief Editor of the Syro-Malabar Directory, Bangalore
• Coordinator of the Youth Programmes of the Syro Malabar Churches in Bangalore
• Member of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, Commission for Interreligious Dialogue, Delhi from the year 2005 onwards
• Founder President, Sigmaxi, Mc Gill Bangalore Montreal Chapter From 2002-2003
• Founder Chairman, Bangalore Forum for Science and Religion, Bangalore, from 1999 onwards
• Member, Sigmaxi, McGill Bangalore Montreal Chapter from 2002 onwards
• Metanexus Institute Templeton Foundation, Philadelphia
• Visiting Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, Kerala, in the year 1999
• Member, Interreligious Cell, YMCA, Bangalore
• Director Board Member, Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore 2002-2004
• Organiser, Science-Humanity National Summit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, December 2000
• Co-Chairman, Press and Publicity, Jesu Krist Jayanthi National Seminar at DVK, Bangalore September
• Chief Editor, National Yesu Krist Jayanti Souvenir, India
• Member, International catholic Journalist Association, Geneva, 1984 onwards
• Science Editor, Deepika Daily Kottayam, from 1983 to 1984
• Correspondent, Deepika daily, a Bangalore, from 1984-1992
• Spiritual director Karnataka Malayali Catholic Association Bangalore from 1999 – present
• Spiritual Director, St. Sebastian’s welfare Association Bangalore from 199uptil now
• Lecturer of Physics, Ratcliffe College Leicster, UK from February to May 1998

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:

• Associate Editor, Editorial Board Omega, Journal of Science and Religion Quarterly, Aluva, Kerala, India from the year 2002 onwards.
• Editorial Board, Journal of Dharma, Quarterly, Bangalore – from the year 2005 onwards
• Children’s Digest, Monthly, in charge of Science and religion, From the year 1999 onwards
• Editor in chief of DVK Bulletins, Quarterly from the year 1999 – 2006.
• Section editor, Commemorative volume on Brahmabandhab Upadyaya, Third Millennium, January–March 2007
• Section Editor, Commemorative volume on Francis Acharya: A Paradigm of Dialogue between the east and the west, Third Millennium, June, 2008.

Books Published :

• Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics,Quantum Holism to Cosmic Holism:The Physics and Metaphysics of David Bohm,Global Vision Publications,June 2008.
• From Warpath to Wholeness: The Condemnation and Rehabilitation of Galileo, Dharmaram Publications, Bangalore, 2004.
• Philosophy of Physics, Anmol Publication, Delhi, 2000
• Second World War, Janata Books, 1988. (Malayalam).
• The wonders of the sky, Deepanalam, Pala, 1987.

Articles Authored :

• Francis Acharya and Kurismala: An Integration of Western Monasticism, Syrian Liturgy and the Indian Sanyasa, Asian Horizon, Vol.2, No.1, June 2008.
• “Bohmian Mechanics: An Alternative to the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum mechanics”, Academic studies, National Journal of Jyothi Research Academy, Jyotinivas Autonomus College, Bangalore, pp9 – 19, March, 2007
• Rituals in New Religious Movements in India, Journal of Dharma, 365-375, July September, 2006 (published in March 2007, delayed).
• Brhmabandhab Upadhyay: An Unparalleled Paradigm for the Indigenization of the Church, editorial, Third Millennium, January–March 2007.
• “Biotechnology-Hope or Horror?” (65-84) Dharma Deepika, Chennai, June 2006.
• “Artificial Intelligence; Created in the Image of Brain”, (85-126), Together Towards Tomorrow, Kuruvila Pandikattu, (ed) ASSR, 2006.
• “Science and Religion – Towards Convergence” Festschrift for Dr. M.J. Joseph, 2006.
• “Science and technology in Ancient and Medieval India, The Candle, Moscow, 2005.
• “Biotechnology and Motherhood,” Jeevadhara, January 2005.
• “Review of the teaching of Philosophy in Asia from the Intercultural Point of View”, (89-108),Interculturality, Gender and Education, Raul Fornet-Betancourt (ed), Frankfurt, 2004.
• “Swami Nityachaitany Yati, Deepika, (5th Anniversary of the Death of this influential philosopher Interreligious Monk)”, Weekend Edition, 2004.
• “Science and Technology in Ancient and Medieval India”, Maritime Malabar and the Europeans 1500-1962, K. S. Mathew (ed) Hope India Publication, Gurgaon, India, 2003.
• “Towards a Cosmological Eschatology”, Christian Leadership, Antony Kalliath (ed), Dharmaram Publications, 2001.
• “Sr. Clare: A brush in the hand of the Lord”, Third Millennium, June, 2001.
• “Religion, Science and Culture: Anknupungspunkte with the Reality”, Religion and Society, June 1998.
• “Exhuming Stories of Valour”, Deccan Herald, Weekend Edition, July1999.
• Editorials for DVK Bulletins (4 issues) from 1999–present
• “Onam - A symbol of Sacrifice”, United Theological College Annual, Bangalore, 1998.

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:

• Religion and Science in Dialogue down the Centuries – Bioethical Issues in College Campuses, Asian Centre for Cross Cultural Studies, Chennai, and Nov. 20-23, 2008.
• Missionary Approaches in the Catholic Church, Meeting of the representatives of World Council of Churches, ECC, October 6, 2008.
• Indian Economy, Industry, Religions, Spirituality and Culture, a series of lectures gave on board The Scholarship, a University Ship with 300 students and 50 Professors travelled from Bangkok to Chennai, Jan 30-Feb 8, 2008.
• The Spiritual Dimension of Indian Culture, Boston College, Boston, USA, December 4, 2007.
• Indian Christianity, St. Thomas University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, Nov. 17-19, 2007
• Hindu Renaissance in India, School of Divinity, Harvard University, Harvard, Boston, USA, Nov. 12, 2007.
• Intercultural and Interreligious Tourism, Indo-German Business Meet, Bonn, June 19–22, 2007.
• Globalisation of Spirituality, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, June, 2007.
• Cultures and religions of India, Aristotle’s University, Thessalonika, Faculty of Theology, May, 2007.
• Matter, Life Mind: A continuum, Robert Bosch Ltd, Bosch India, February 22, 2007, Bangalore.
• Science, Christianity and Other Religion, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, September, 2006.
• More ingredients for a Salad Bowl, The Meeting Point between the east and the west, Sitear International Conference, India, August, 2006.
• Science, Philosophy and Religion, Bosch, India, August, 2006..
• Religious Consciousness in India, Theology and Religious Studies European Association, Uppsala, Sweden, April, 2006.
• Indian Religions and their Outreach to the West, Jagillonian University, Poland, June. 2006.
• Science and Religion, Christianity and Science, at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, India, September, 2006, 2005.
• New Religious Movements, Chavara International Centre for Indian and Interreligious Studies, Sacramento, California, USA, October, 2005.
• Science of Yoga, Transcending Religions, University of New York, Oneonta, USA, October, 2005.
• Matter. Life, Mind – A continuum, Joint Faculties Meeting between DVK & St. Peter’s Pontifical Athenaeums, Bangalore, India, Sep. 2005.
• Biotechnology and Motherhood, (Key Note Address) University of Madras, India, December, 2004.
• The Condemnation and rehabilitation of Galileo, Metanexus Institute Annual Local Societies Initiative, International Conference, Philadelphia, USA, June 2004.
• Religious Consciousness of India, University of Leuven, Belgium, May, 2004.
• India’s Contribution to Spirituality, University of Nijmegan, Netherlands, May, 2004.
• Indian Religions: An Appraisal, University of Potsdam, Berlin, April, 2004.
• Intercultural Philosophy: From an Indian Perspective, Pablo Olivade University, Seville, Spain, 2003.
• New Religious Movements and its Impact, Faculty of Theology, University of Leuven, Belgium, March, 2003.
• Human Face of Science and Technology, Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore, India, May, 2002.
• The Primacy of Reason in the Faith formation for Contemporary times, DVK Silver Jubilee Celebrations, September 2001.
• Science and Religion, Indian Philosophical Association, Bangalore, Indian, October, 2001.
• Cosmos, Church and Galileo, Discussion with Prof. Owen Gingrich, Smithsonian Astronomer, Harvard University, Boston, USA, July 2000.
• Complementary Nature of Science and Religion, Centre for Theology and Natural Sciences, Chicago, USA, June 2000.
• Interpretational Problems in Quantum Mechanics, Refresher course, University Grants Commission, Bangalore, August 2000.
• Structure of Matter, National College, Bangalore, December 2000.
• Science, Faith, Technology, Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore, June 2000.
• Foundational Problems in Quantum Mechanics, Refresher Course for Scientists Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, Kerala, February 1999.
• Interaction between science and Religion, Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore, May 1999.
• Philosophical Foundations for a New World Order, Sacred Heart Seminary, Chennai, January 1999
• Miracles and Science, Atmodaya, DVK, Bangalore, December 1999.

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:

• Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics: Virtuality as reality, Sijumon Joseph, 2009.
• Philosophy of Chaos and Complexity, Justin George, 2009.
• Asceticism in Jainism, Saji M.T, 2009.
• Philosophical Interpretation of Darwinian and Alternative Theories of Evolution, Jomy George.P, 2009.
• The Philosophical Significance of the Theories of Relativity, Thaiparambil Jobin, 2009.
• Towards Developmental Education: Experience based education of John Dewey, Baiju Parackal, 2009.
• The Return of the Self to the One: A Philosophical Investigation into the Mystical Experience of Plotinus, Antony Thundathil, 2007.
• Space-time and Space and Time – The Ontology, Varghese, 2007.
• Teilhardian Phenomenology: Envisioning Matter, Mind and Spirit as Continuum, Ganashekhar, 2005.
• Quantum Mechanics, a New Vision of Reality, Sain C. Vadakkan, 2004.
• Artificial Intelligence, a Philosophical Analysis, Gigi Thomas Purayidathil, 2004.
• Space and Tine; A Philosophical and Scientific Inquiry, Xavier Thangaraj, 2004.
• The Unitary Character of Nature, Metaphysics and Modern Science, A Comparison of the Spatio-temporal Understanding of Aristotle and Einstein, Augustine Kuttippalackal, 2004.
• Ethical and Philosophical Problems Involved in Manipulating the Biological Continuum, Sudeep, 2004.
• Meaning and Life in Soren Kierkegaard’s Existentialism, Herman Raj, 2001.
• A Leap Away from the Technological Thinking Towards a leap into the Originary Thinking of Being: A Study on Heidegger’s Thinking of Thinking, L. Joy Ashok, 2001.
• Truth in Tension: Dissonance and Consonance between Religion and Science, Josen, 2001.

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.

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. 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".

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. 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. As of 2012 Chandrankunnel was an associate director of Geothirbhavan – Georgian CMI Centre for Counselling, Training and Transformation. He was also Director-Coordination of the Chaavara Cancer Research Institute. He was a member of the Association of Christian Philosophers of India.

Bibliography

• Chandrankunnel, Mathew (1997). In Search of a Causal Quantum Mechanics: A Comparison Between Copenhagen Mechanics and Bohmian Mechanics. Katholoeke Universiteit Leuven. p. 298.
• Chandrankunnel, Mathew (2000). Philosophy of Physics. Anmol Publications. p. 438. ISBN 8126105887.
• Philosophical Methods. Through the Prevalent to the Relevant. Asian Trading Corporation, Bangalore. 2004. ISBN 81-7086-325-2. (Contributor)
• Chandrankunnel, Mathew (2004). The Condemnation and Rehabilitation of Galileo Galilei. Dharmaram. p. 227. ISBN 818686170X.
• Chandrankunnel, Mathew (2008). Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics. Global Vision Publishing. p. 427. ISBN 8182202582.