Embracing Science and Research: Early Twentieth-Century Jesuits and Seismology in the United States

Abstract

A close examination of the involvement of American Jesuits in seismology during the early twentieth century provides insights into both the pervasive appeal of science in American culture and the place of the Jesuits within the ecology of American science. American Jesuits first became involved in seismology in 1909 not because of any deep interest in science for its own sake, but because they sought widespread publicity and general acclaim in a culture that celebrated science. Their involvement in seismology then became an important channel through which the larger culture's enthusiasm for scientific research entered the tradition-bound Jesuit college. The Jesuits decided to concentrate on seismology in large part because they perceived that several structural features of the Jesuit organization suited them for the pursuit of this particular science. These structural features included the existence of a widespread network of Jesuit colleges and the interdisciplinary nature of Jesuit training in science.