Jesuit Contribution to Science

Agustín Udías, born in Santander, Spain in 1935. A priest of the Society of Jesus, obtained in 1964 his Ph. D. degree in geophysics from Saint Louis University and in 1971 the degree of Doctor en Ciencias Físicas from Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He has done research and teaching at the University of California, Berkeley; the Wolfgang Goethe Universität, Frankfurt am Main and at the Universidad de Barcelona. Since 1977 was Professor of Geophysics and from 2005 is Professor Emeritus at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He is member of the Academia Europeae (European Academy) and corresponding member of the Real Academia de Historia (Royal academy of History (Spain)) and Academia de Ciencias y Artes de Barcelona (Academy of sciences and Arts of Barcelona). Author of Principles of Seismology (Cambridge University Press, 1999), Searching the Heavens and the Earth: The history of Jesuit Observatories (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 2003), Historia de la Física. De Arquímedes a Einstein (Síntesis, Madrid, 2004), Ciencia y religión: Dos visiones del mundo (Sal Terrae, Santander 2010) and with J. Mezcua of Fundamentos de Geofísica (1 ed. Alhambra, 1985, 2. Ed. Alianza, Madrid, 1997) with E. Buforn and C. Pro. Solved problems of geophysics (Cambridge University Press, 2012). He has published a large number of articles in international journals on the topics of earthquake source mechanism, seismicity and seismotectonics of the Mediterranean region, on science and religion, on Teilhard de Chardin and the history of Jesuits in science.

This book presents a comprehensive history of the many contributions the Jesuits made to science from their founding to the present. It also links the Jesuits dedication to science with their specific spirituality which tries to find God in all things. The book begins with Christopher Clavius, professor of mathematics in the Roman College between 1567 and 1595, the initiator of this tradition. It covers Jesuits scientific contributions in mathematics, astronomy, physics and cartography up until the suppression of the order by the Pope in 1773. Next, the book details the scientific work the Jesuits pursued after their restoration in 1814. It examines the establishment of a network of observatories throughout the world; details contributions made to the study of tropical hurricanes, earthquakes and terrestrial magnetism and examines such important figures as Angelo Secchi, Stephen J. Perry, James B. Macelwane and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. From their founding to the present, Jesuits have trodden an uncommon path to the frontiers where the Christian message is not yet known. Jesuits' work in science is also an interesting chapter in the general problem of the relation between science and religion. This book provides readers with a complete portrait of the Jesuit scientific tradition. Its engaging story will appeal to those with an interest in the history of science, the history of the relations between science and religion and the history of Jesuits.

Presents a comprehensive history of the many contributions the Jesuits made to science from their founding to the present

Chapter 1: Clavius and Mathematics in the Collegio Romano.- Chapter 2: Mathematics, Astronomy and Physics in Colleges and Observatories.- Chapter 3: Kircher and Boscovich.- Chapter 4: Jesuit Astronomers in China and India.- Chapter 5: Naturalists, Geographers and Explorers.- Chapter 6: The New Observatories.- Chapter 7: Meteorology. Tropical Hurricanes.- Chapter 8: Earthquakes and Seismology.- Chapter 9: Four Great Modern Scientists.- Chapter 10: Science in Colleges and Universities.- Chapter 11: Epilogue: Jesuit Scientific Tradition.- Appendices. Notes.- Bibliography.- Index of Names.