Stanley L. Jaki
1924 - 2009
Distinguished University Professor, Seton Hall University, South Orange NJ
Catholic priest and physicist Father Professor Stanley L. Jaki OSB (born 1924, Gyor, Hungary ) is a Benedictine priest and Distinguished
Professor of Physics at Seton Hall University, New Jersey. He is a leading thinker in philosophy of science,
theology and on issues where the two disciplines meet and diverge.
He entered the Benedictine Order in 1942, and began studies in philosophy, theology, and mathematics. In 1947 he went
to Rome, where he continued theological study at the Pontifical Institute of San Anselmo and gained his doctorate (1950).
He was ordained in 1948. During 1954–8 he studied physics.
After completing undergraduate training in
philosophy, theology and mathematics, Father Jaki did graduate work in theology and physics and holds doctorates in
theology from the Pontifical Institute in Rome (1950), and in physics from Fordham University (1958).
He also did post-doctoral research in Philosophy of Science at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Princeton University
and Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. After post-doctoral research, Father Jaki was Gifford Lecturer at
Edinburgh University(1974–76), Fremantle Lecturer at Balliol College, Oxford(1977), Hoyt Fellow at Yale University(1980)
and Farmington Institute Lecturer at Oxford University(1988-1989). After 1965 was professor of astrophysics at Seton Hall
University, NJ, USA.
Noted as a leading writer on interdisciplinary studies in the areas of science and theology,
he is honorary member of the Pontifical Academy of Science, and the recipient of the Lecomte du Nouy Prize (1970)
and the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion and for furthering understanding of science and religion(1987).
Father Jaki is a famous writer and is the author of more than 40 books on the differences and similarities between
science and religion.
He was the first person to recognize the significance of Godel's Theorem for 'theories of everything (TOE)" in theoretical
physics. Godel's theorem states that any non-trivial mathematical theory will be either incomplete or inconsistent.
Since any 'theory of everything' will certainly be a non-trivial mathematical theory, it must be either incomplete
or inconsistent, thus dooming searches for a theory of everything in which all the parameters are defined internally
and consistently.
Selected Bibliography
* 1966. The Relevance of Physics. University of Chicago Press.
* 1969. Brain, Mind and Computers. Herder & Herder.
* 1969. The Paradox of Olbers' Paradox. Herder & Herder.
* 1973. The Milky Way: an Elusive Road for Science. New York: Science History Publications.
* 1974. Science and Creation: From Eternal Cycles to an Oscillating Univers. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.
* 1978. Planets and Planetarians. A History of Theories of the Origin of Planetary Systems. John Wiley & Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.
* 1978. The Road of Science and the Ways to God. Univ. of Chicago Press, and Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.
* 1978. The Origin of Science and the Science of its Origins. Scottish Academic Press.
* 1980. Cosmos and Creator. Scottish Academic Press.
* 1983. Angels, Apes and Men. La Salle IL: Sherwood, Sugden & Co. I
* 1984. Uneasy Genius. The Life and Work of Pierre Duhem. The Hague: Nyhoff.
* 1986. Chesterton, a Seer of Science. Univ. of Illinois Press.
* 1986. Lord Gifford and His Lectures. A Centenary Retrospective. Edinburgh: Scottish Academis Press, and Macon, GA.: Mercer University Press.
* 1986. Chance or Reality and Other Essays. Lanham, MD: University Press of America & Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
* 1988. The Absolute Beneath the Relative and Other Essays. Lanham, MD: University Press of America & Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
* 2000 (1988). The Savior of Science. W. B. Eerdmans.
* 1989. Miracles and Physics. Front Royal. VA.: Christendom Press.
* 1989. God and the Cosmologists. Regnery Gateway Inc.; Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.
* The Purpose of it All (alternate title for God and the Cosmologists)
* 1990. The Only Chaos and Other Essays. Lanham MD: University Press of America & Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
* 1991. Scientist and Catholic, An Essay on Pierre Duhem. Front Royal, VA.: Christendom Press.
* 1996. Bible And Science. Front Royal, VA: Christendom Press.
* 2000. The Limits of a Limitless Science and Other Essays. Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
External links
* http://www.realviewbooks.com/
* http://www.sljaki.com/
* http://pirate.shu.edu/~jakistan/
S. L. Jaki gave Gifford Lectures:
Gifford"s Authors Biography of S. L. Jaki:
Stanley L. Jaki was born in Gyor, Hungary in 1924. Upon graduating from the Jedlik
Preparatory School and Junior College there he entered the Benedictine Order in 1942. After completing his undergraduate
training in philosophy, theology and mathematics in 1947, he went to the Pontifical Institute of San Anselmo, Rome,
where
he received a doctorate in theology in December 1950. In 1948 he was ordained a priest. From 1951 he taught
systematic theology at the School of Theology of St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pennsylvania. During this time, he
attended in the same college courses in American history, literature, mathematics and sciences to secure American
recognition of his undergraduate training done in Hungary. He received his B.S. from St. Vincent College in 1954.
The same year, he began doctoral research in physics in the Graduate School of Fordham University, New York, under
the mentorship of the late Dr. Victor F. Hess, the discoverer of cosmic rays and a Nobel-laureate. Jaki’s thesis was
published in the June 1958 issue of Journal of Geophysical research (pp. 378-89) under the title, “A study of the
Distribution of Radon, Thoron, and their Decay Products above and below the Ground.” Between 1958 and 1960 he did
research in the history and philosophy of physics at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.
From 1960 to 1962 he was Visiting Fellow in the Program for the History and Philosophy of Science at Princeton
University. From 1962-65 he wrote the important work, The Relevance of Physics (University of Chicago Press, 1966).
Since 1965 he has been on the faculty of Seton Hall University, where he was promoted in 1975 to the rank of
Distinguished University Professor. In 1966-67 he was associated with the Institute for Advanced Study Princeton, and
later served as a Visiting Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary (1981) and a Fellow in the Center of Theological
Inquiry, Princeton (1984-87, 1989-90).
Dr. Jaki holds the STD in Systematic Theology, Istituto Pontificio di S. Anselmo (Rome, 1950), a PhD in Physics f
rom Fordham University (1957), and honorary doctorates from Central Michigan University (1974), Steubenville University
(1986), St. Anselm's College (1988), Marquette University (1989), St. Vincent College (1989), Fordham University (1991),
and Seton Hall University (1991).
Dr. Jaki gave the Gifford Lectures at the University of Edinburgh in 1974-75 and 1975-76. The lectures were published
as The Road of Science and the Ways of God.
Dr. Jaki is the author of numerous books, articles, reviews, and lectures.
His books include:
Praying The Psalms: A Commentary (2001),
Newman's Challenge (2000),
The Limits Of
A Limitless Science And Other Essays (2000),
Means To Message: A Treatise On Truth (1999),
Theology Of Priestly Celibacy (1998),
Bible And Science (1996),
Lettres De Pierre Duhem A Sa Fille, Helene (1994),
Patterns Or Principles And Other Essays (1995),
Is There A Universe? (1993),
Genesis 1 Through The Ages (1992),
Reluctant Heroine: The Life
And Work Of Helene Duhem (1992),
Universe And Creed (1992),
Pierre Duhem: Homme De Foi Et De
Science (1991),
Olbers Studies (1991),
The Only Chaos And Other Essays (1990),
Catholic Essays (1990),
Cosmos In Transition: Essays In The History Of Cosmology (1990),
The Purpose Of It All (1990), God And The Cosmologists (1989), Miracles And Physics (1989), The Savior Of Science (1988),
The Physicist As Artist: The Landscapes Of Pierre Duhem (1988),
The
Absolute Beneath The Relative And Other Essays (1988),
Chesterton: A Seer Of Science (1986),
Lord Gifford And His Lectures: A Centenary Retrospect (1986),
Chance Or Reality And Other Essays (1986),
The Keys Of The Kingdom: A Tool's Witness To Truth (1986),
Uneasy Genius: The Life And Work Of Pierre Duhem (1984),
Angels, Apes And Men (1982),
Cosmos And Creator (1980),
Planets And Planetarians: A History Of Theories On The Origin Of Planetary Systems (1978),
The Road Of Science And The Ways To God (1978),
And On This Rock: The Witness Of One Land And Two Covenants (1978),
The Origin Of Science And The Science Of Its Origin (1977),
Science And Creation: From Eternal Cycles To An Oscillating Universe (1974),
The Milky Way: An Elusive Road For Science (1972),
The Relevance Of Physics (1970),
Brain, Mind And Computers (1969),
The Paradox Of Olbers' Paradox (1969),
Les Tendances Nouvelles De L'ecclesiologie (1956),
God And The Sun At Fatima (?), and A Mind's Matter: An Intellectual Autobiography (?).
He is the editor of editions of works by Pierre Duhem, John Henry Newman, Alexis Carrel, J. H. De Groot, K. A. Kneller, A. Barruel, H. E. Manning,
J. B. Bossuet, and C. Hollis. He has translated several important works, including
Giordano Bruno’s The Ash Wednesday Supper (1584); the first English translation of the first book on
Copernicus (1975); J. H. Lambert’s Cosmological Letters Of The Arrangement Of The World Edifice (1761/ 1976);
and Immanuel Kant’s Universal Natural History And Theory Of The Heavens (1775/1981).
Dr. Jaki has offered guest lectures at over 50 major Universities, Colleges, and Research Institutes in North America, Europe, and Australia, and been an invited lecturer at over 25 Congresses, Symposiums and Colloquiums, including the Plenary Meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (1996), the World Congress of Catholic Physicians, New York (1998), and the International Giordano Bruno Conference, Rome (2000). In addition to his Gifford lectureship, he has also been honored as the Olbers Lecturer, Bremen (1970), Fremantle Lecturer, Balliol College, Oxford (1977), Hoyt Fellow, Yale University (1980), Macdonald Lecturer, University of Sydney (1981), McDermott Lecturer, University of Dallas (1983), Wethersfield Institute Scholar (1986, 1987, 1992), Farmington Institute Lecturer, Oxford University (1988 & 1989), and Forwood Lecturer, University of Liverpool (1992).
In addition to his honorary degrees and lectureships, Dr. Jaki’s honors include the Lecomte du Nouy Prize and Medal (1970), the Templeton Prize (1987), the Sze'chenyi Medal of the Sze'chenyi Ta'rsasa'g (Hungary, 1997), and honorary membership in the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. He also holds memberships in Sigma Xi, the History of Science Society, Olbers Gesellschaft (Bremen), Hellenic Society for Humanistic Studies (Athens), Academie Nationale des Sciences, and Belles-Lettres et Arts de Bordeaux (membre correspondant).
