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Manzoor Ahmed,
DSc DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State C ...
( Urdu: منظور احمد; born 11 March 1934) is a Pakistani scientist and philosopher of science. He is a professor of philosophy and is currently serving as rector of
Usman Institute of Technology UIT University (formerly Usman Institute of Technology (UIT)) is a not-for profit institute. UIT university's campus is located at the intersection of University Road and Abul Hasan Isphahani Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, Pakistan. On 18 Dec ...
(UIT) in Karachi, Sindh Province. He has international prestige for publishing articles, books, and leading edge research on the field of Philosophy of science, particularly the philosophy of
space and time Space and Time or Time and Space, or ''variation'', may refer to: * '' Space and time'' or ''time and space'' or ''spacetime'', any mathematical model that combines space and time into a single interwoven continuum * Philosophy of space and time S ...
.


Biography


Early life and education

Manzoor Ahmed was born into an
Urdu-speaking Native speakers of Urdu are spread across South Asia. The vast majority of them are Muslims of the Hindi–Urdu Belt of northern India, followed by the Deccani people of the Deccan plateau in south-central India (who speak Deccani Urdu) and the ...
family, in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh on 11 March 1934. His parents home schooled him, and he was later enrolled in a local middle school. He was a child prodigy, and enrolled in High School at the age of seven, where he excelled. Ahmad graduated from high school, and stood first in the matriculation examination for the state. He attended Raza Inter-College (RIC) where he studied science and philosophy, and stood first in the college examination for university transfer. Ahmad was persuaded by his family to study medicines; he therefore applied for three medical schools— King George Medical University in Lucknow,
King Edward Medical College King Edward Medical University (KEMU) () is a Public university, public Medical school, medical university located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan. Founded in 1860, the university is named after King Edward VII. Established by the ...
in Lahore, and
Dow Medical College Dow Medical College is a public university, public medical school located in the city of Karachi, Sindh. It was founded in 1945 and named after British civil servant Hugh Dow, Sir Hugh Dow, Governor of Sindh. In 2003, it became a constituent co ...
in Karachi. However, Ahmad decided to pursue his inclination for philosophy and did not join any of these institutions. He moved to Karachi, Sindh Province and joined S.M. Arts College. In 1947, Ahmad acquired the Pakistani
citizenship Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection". Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...
, joining
Karachi University The University of Karachi ( sd, ; informally Karachi University, KU, or UoK) is a public research university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Established in June 1951 by an act of Parliament and as a successor to the University of Sindh (whi ...
in 1951. There he studied physics, mathematics and philosophy, and obtained a minor in Mathematics, and a
B.Sc. A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
(Hons) in Physics and a BA in Philosophy in 1953. In 1955, Ahmad obtained a MA in philosophy from the same university. With a HEC scholarship, Ahmad went to London, United Kingdom to attend the school of his choice. Ahmad enrolled in a doctoral programme at
London University The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
. Continuing his interest in physics, Ahmad was awarded a doctorate in philosophy of science, with a focus on the mathematical and philosophical notion of space and time continuum.


Academic career

Since his return to his country, Ahmad has worked for the Government of Pakistan, as head of various national and international organizations. He is also an active member of the
Council of Islamic Ideology Council of Islamic Ideology (CII; ( ur, ) is a constitutional body of Pakistan, responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic issues to the government and the Parliament. This body was founded in 1962 under the government of Ayub Khan. Funct ...
in Pakistan. After returning to Pakistan, Ahmad became associated to the
Karachi University The University of Karachi ( sd, ; informally Karachi University, KU, or UoK) is a public research university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Established in June 1951 by an act of Parliament and as a successor to the University of Sindh (whi ...
and has directed their Department of Philosophy; he was later appointed as the Dean of their faculty of
Fine Arts In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwork ...
. Ahmad was the President of the Pakistan Philosophical Congress (PPC), which works for the improvement of Philosophical studies in the country. He was a
Fulbright scholar The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...
, and has lectured on philosophy of science at the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and the University of California. He was also awarded fellowships by the Brown Foundation and the
British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...
. Ahmad held the vice-chancellorship of
Hamdard University Hamdard University ( ur, ) is a private research university with campuses in Karachi and Islamabad, Pakistan.Usman Institute of Technology UIT University (formerly Usman Institute of Technology (UIT)) is a not-for profit institute. UIT university's campus is located at the intersection of University Road and Abul Hasan Isphahani Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, Pakistan. On 18 Dec ...
(UIT). He is the Rector of the Islamic International University, Islamabad and Chairman of the Board of Governors for the
Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture () ( sd, انڊس ويلي اسڪول آف آرٽ اينڊ آرڪيٽيڪچر) is a not-for-profit degree awarding institution in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The university was established in 1989, ther ...
(IVS).


Philosophy, science and consciousness

Ahmad has written important books about the relation between consciousness, science and philosophy. In his article, ''The Notion of Existence'', Ahmad argued that the impact of scientific development has created the problem of the subjectivity of sense qualities and a separation between knowledge and existence. Ahmad further noted that, "the picture of the world given by immediate perception is totally different from what the world actually is, leading to an opposition between existence and true knowledge. Galileo's solution is that this difference between knowledge and existence disappears to a certain extent in the clearest knowledge we possess, i.e. mathematical knowledge." However, Ahmad believes in the theory of general relativity and cited that "without the existence of the Spacetime continuum, the universe would not exist and we would not exist".


Selected works

* ''History of Philosophy'' * ''Morality and Law'' * ''Pakistan: Prospects and Perspectives'' * ''Iqbal Shanasi'' * ''Islam: Chand Fikri Masail'' * ''Religious Wisdom''


References


External links


Islamic Nazaryati Council

History of UIT

Interview Transcript from UITEC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmad, Manzoor 1934 births Living people Pakistani scholars Muhajir people Pakistani writers Pakistani philosophers People from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh Alumni of the University of London Philosophers of science