Islamization of Knowledge - Modern Islamic Philosophy of Science

Modern Islamic Philosophy of Science

Modern Islamic philosophy has, in response to challenges of secular science and concerns that secular society is unwilling or unable to limit its uses of "dangerous technology", especially nuclear weapon or biotechnology, begun to look at the origins of science to determine what ethics or limits can or should be imposed, and what goals or visions are appropriate for science. Key figures in these debates are:

  • Ismail al-Faruqi who proposed an Islamization of knowledge.
  • Seyyed Hossein Nasr who focuses on interpretations of "khalifa".
  • Ziauddin Sardar who advocates the creation of a modern Islamic science to tackle problems facing Muslims today.
  • Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas who first coined the phrase "Islamization of contemporary knowledge".
  • Mohammad Najatuallah Siddiqui who focuses more specifically on Islamic economics.
  • F. Rosenthal, Knowledge Triumphant, explored the central importance of knowledge in Muslim civilization and explains how it generated "science". It is more a work of history. Also of some note in these debates have been
    • Nasim Butt, Science and Muslim Societies, an introduction
    • Ahmad Y. al-Hassan and Donald Routledge Hill, Islamic Technology: An Illustrated History

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