Prof Dr Mathew Chandrankunnel CMI
Presence of Absence or Presence and Absence, I was perplexed when Anuradha prompted me to write about the theme. Both are meaningful themes but a bit mystical too. Writings, poems, installations, paintings and all modes of expressions would accompany individually and collectively as a collage or mosaic in an exhibition Anuradha is expounding. Presence and absence are inextricably intertwined and definitely take notice of the presence while the absence is highlighted because of its sheer non – existence. Philosophically, in the Western tradition, essence and existence, are powerful interpretations of life along with matter and form, act and potency, substance and accidence. The absence of light is interpreted as darkness while the absence of the goodness is deciphered as evil. In the Eastern tradition, the Hindu and Buddhist philosophy illuminate them through the concepts of Poornum – fullness and Shoonyatha – emptiness. The Upanishads describe about the fullness as a mode of being acquiring in and through the process of becoming while the Nalanda Vajrayana tradition hails ‘emptiness itself as emptiness’.
General theory of Relativity illustrates that space – time is expanding and only in the presence of matter, there is space – time. The vast immensity of space – time is empty and the presence of matter curves the space – time like a funnel. Absence of matter, there is emptiness. Also, the universe is expanding towards an empty space. Light passes through this empty space – time and nothing can go faster than the speed of light. Quantum Mechanics on the contrary postulates that empty space is fullness of energy known as ‘quantum vacuum fluctuations’ where the particles are swirling to appear and disappear creating a fluctuating energy field. Here in the quantum field, presence and absence are inextricably entangled.
According to Boolean Algebra, 0 and 1 helped us to develop computers that derives calculations and solves problems to have solutions employing emptiness and fulness. However, in the quantum logic, between 0 and 1 now there are infinite possibilities, empowering us to create quantum computing with infinite power. Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Large Language Models, Deep Learning all are now catapulting human intelligence to enormous power. Presence is penetrating into the absence modifying the essence and existence of mind, life and matter.
In matter, life and mind are absent. However, in plant and animal life mind is absent. In humans, all these three, mind, life and matter are indistinguishably interwoven. The gaps of absence of life and mind in matter and mind in plant life and animal life are being filled up by the advanced cutting edge technologies. Presence and absence are intimately entangled and mutually co existing in all forms of this universe, giving an expansionary mode in time especially in human life.
Prof Dr Mathew Chandrankunnel CMI studied physics, philosophy, theology and journalism and did his doctorate at the University of Leuven, Belgium on the Foundational Problems in Quantum Mechanics for which he interacted with Nobel Prize winners and world renowned physicists and defended the thesis on 30th January, 1998. Dr Mathew taught at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram (DVK) and Christ University, Bangalore as Professor of Philosophy of Science and taught many other subjects like Consciousness etc. During the sabbatical year in 2007, he was the research associate of Prof Owen Gingerich of Harvard University and published Ascent to Truth: The Physics, Philosophy and Religion of Galileo Galilei. He published a few other books such as The Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Holism to Cosmic Holism, Cosmosophy, Navajeevasadhana etc. He received the CTNS – Templeton Award in 2000. He was visiting Professor at various universities like Cochin University of Science and Technology, University of Leuven, Potsdam University – Berlin, University of New York, Aristotle University – Thessaloniki, Vladimir State University -Russia, Belarus Academy of Sciences – Minsk, etc. Prof Dr Mathew Chandrankunnel CMI was selected to be the first Catholic Director of the Ecumenical Christian Centre, ECC, from 2016 to 2021, Whitfield, Bangalore where he established Mindfulness Park – Vishwamitra Mandala, Football Training associated with Barcelona Football Club etc. At present he is associated with the JIS University, Kolkata, West Bengal. He is a Catholic Priest belonging to the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate Congregation, established by St Kuriakose Elias Chavara in 1831, Kerala.
The Stillness Project 