Job Kozhamthadam

Rev.
Job Kozhamthadam
SJ
Education
Alma materRanchi University; Patna University; University of Notre Dame; University of Maryland
Philosophical work
Era20th–21st century
RegionIndian philosophy
SchoolScience–religion dialogue; History and philosophy of science
InstitutionsJnana_Deepa,_Institute_of_Philosophy_and_Theology, Pune; Indian Institute of Science and Religion (IISR), Delhi
Main interestsHistory and philosophy of science; Relationship between science and religion; Cosmology; Ethics of technology
Notable worksThe Discovery of Kepler’s Laws; Science, Technology and Values; East–West Interface of Reality; Science, Mysticism and East–West Dialogue

Job Kozhamthadam SJ is an Indian Jesuit priest, historian and philosopher of science, widely regarded as a pioneer of the science–religion dialogue in India.[1][2] He has taught at Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth (JDV), Pune, served as its president, and is founder–president of the Indian Institute of Science and Religion (IISR), Delhi.[3][4]

Early life and education

Kozhamthadam completed a B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics at Ranchi University, earning the Deen Tarini Gold Medal for securing the highest marks in 1969.[5] He subsequently obtained an M.Sc. in physics from Patna University (1972), a B.Ph. from Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth (1975), a B.Th. from Vidyajyoti, Delhi (1978), an M.A. in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Notre Dame (1980), and a Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Maryland (1986).[6]

Academic career

From 1986 onwards Kozhamthadam taught Philosophy of Science, Cosmology, Hume, and Science and Religion at Jnana_Deepa,_Institute_of_Philosophy_and_Theology in Pune, where he also served as department chair and dean of philosophy.[7] He was visiting professor of Philosophy of Science at Loyola University Chicago in 1989, 1990, 1992 and 1994.[8]

Kozhamthadam founded the Association of Science, Society and Religion (ASSR) and later the Indian Institute of Science and Religion (IISR), serving as its first president and director.[9] IISR organises seminars on topics such as artificial intelligence and robotics in relation to ethics and religion.[10] A Templeton Foundation project lists him as co-leader of a master's programme in science and religion in India.[11]

He has been a member of the Indian National Commission for the History of Science (Indian National Science Academy), the New York Academy of Sciences, the British Society for the Philosophy of Science, and the International Society for Science and Religion, Cambridge.[12]

Thought and contributions

Kozhamthadam is widely described as “the pioneer of science–religion dialogue in India”.[13] His historical reconstruction of Kepler's work highlights how empirical, philosophical, and religious elements interact in scientific discovery.[14] The book received positive academic reviews including in The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science.[15]

His public writing and interviews stress “constructive collaboration” between science and religion as mutually enriching ways of interpreting reality.[16][17]

His later works explore complementarity between scientific cosmology, Eastern religious intuition, and mystical experience, arguing that both science and spirituality point to a deeply interconnected universe.[18]

Selected works

Monographs

  • The Discovery of Kepler’s Laws: The Interaction of Science, Philosophy, and Religion. University of Notre Dame Press, 1994.[19]
  • East–West Interface of Reality: A Scientific and Intuitive Inquiry into the Nature of Reality. ASSR / IAISS, 2003/2005.[20]
  • Science, Mysticism and East–West Dialogue. ISPCK / IISR, 2016.[21]

Edited volumes

  • Interrelations and Interpretation: Philosophical Reflections on Science, Religion and Hermeneutics in Honour of Richard De Smet, S.J. and Jean de Marneffe, S.J. Intercultural Publications, 1997.[22]
  • Science, Technology and Values: Science–Religion Dialogue in a Multi-Religious World. ASSR Publications, 2003.[23]
  • The Human Soul in a World of Neurological Sciences. ISPCK / IISR, 2021.[24]
  • Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity. ISPCK / IISR, 2024.[25]

Articles

  • “Modern Science and Eastern Intuition: Coexistence or Complementarity?” Disputatio Philosophica 3 (2001): 111–122.[26]
  • “Modern Science in India and the Emergence of a New Worldview” in New Perspectives in Indian Science and Civilization (Routledge, 2019).

See also

References

  1. ^ "Job Kozhamthadam". Open Library. Internet Archive. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  2. ^ Thomas, Kamaladevi. "Mastery Meets Mystery: Intersecting Science, Philosophy, Religion and Culture" (PDF). p. 3. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  3. ^ "Personnel – IAISS". Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Indian Institute of Science and Religion – IISR". Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Job Kozhamthadam – Biography". Counterbalance. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  6. ^ "Job Kozhamthadam". IAISS. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Job Kozhamthadam – Biography". Counterbalance. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  8. ^ "Job Kozhamthadam – Author page". University of Notre Dame Press. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  9. ^ "Science and Religion Dialogue in India". Jnanamrit. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  10. ^ "AI-Robotics Revolution & Science-Religion Dialogue". IISR. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  11. ^ "Master's Program in Science and Religion in India". John Templeton Foundation. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  12. ^ "Job Kozhamthadam". IAISS. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  13. ^ Thomas, Kamaladevi. "Mastery Meets Mystery: Intersecting Science, Philosophy, Religion and Culture" (PDF). p. 3. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  14. ^ Kozhamthadam, Job (1994). The Discovery of Kepler’s Laws: The Interaction of Science, Philosophy, and Religion. University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 0268008809.
  15. ^ Finocchiaro, Maurice A. (1996). "Review: Job Kozhamthadam, S. J. The Discovery of Kepler's Laws". The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. 47 (2): 325–327. doi:10.1093/bjps/47.2.325.
  16. ^ "Science and religion have to complement each other". The Times of India. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  17. ^ Vedanayagam, Joseph Satish (4 October 2018). "Exploring the History of Science and Religion: An Interview with Job Kozhamthadam". Toynbee Prize Foundation. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  18. ^ Kozhamthadam, Job (2001). "Modern Science and Eastern Intuition: Coexistence or Complementarity?". Disputatio Philosophica. 3: 111–122.
  19. ^ Kozhamthadam, Job (1994). The Discovery of Kepler’s Laws: The Interaction of Science, Philosophy, and Religion. University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 0268008809.
  20. ^ "Books – IAISS". Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  21. ^ "Science, Mysticism and East-West Dialogue". Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  22. ^ "Books – IAISS". Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  23. ^ "Science, technology and values". Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  24. ^ "The Human Soul in a World of The Neurological Sciences". Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  25. ^ "Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity". Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  26. ^ Kozhamthadam, Job (2001). "Modern Science and Eastern Intuition: Coexistence or Complementarity?". Disputatio Philosophica. 3: 111–122.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.