A couple of things to highlight about “Islamic” medicine: 1. The historical record of Islamic medicine doesn’t refer to the practice being rooted in religious teachings. In fact, most physicians in the Islamic civilization were not even Muslim or Arab for that matter. Ibn Sina was a Persian Muslim. Abu Bakr ar-Rāzī was a Persian […]
Tag Archives: Science
20
May
May
In a recent paper, George Vithoulkas argues that “homeopathy is not a therapeutic approach suited for a modern ‘developed’ society, that it will never be widely practiced in our contemporary world, and that it will never become truly adopted by medical schools”. The reason for this according to Vithoulkas is that we live in a […]
01
Aug
Aug
We have made you [believers] into a just community, so that you may bear witness [to the truth] before others and so that the Messenger may bear witness [to it] before you. We only made the direction the one you used to face [Prophet] in order to distinguish those who follow the Messenger from those […]
10
Apr
Apr
The controversial nature of evolutionary theory is a great example of what happens when one has no clear conception of their theology, science, or both in terms of their epistemology and what they can learn from them. Evolution: The Basics is a very well-written introductory book on the evolutionary theory. Sherrie Lyons did a great job […]
16
Jul
Jul
What makes something true and a belief about a proposition a valid one? The philosophical literature is rich with discussions and theories about the nature of Truth, much of which may appear to be more of an exercise in intellectual musings. However, there is a real personal impact one will experience when they have to […]
23
Apr
Apr
The Muslim nostalgia for the past and feelings of inferiority in the presence can sometimes lead one to project modern understandings and presuppositions about what is considered rational and intellectually respectable onto past scholars living during what is known as the Golden Age of Islam. However, a reading of works by those scholars, such as […]
21
Dec
Dec
The Creed of Deliverance is a short poem composed by the great Moroccan scholar Imam Muhammad ibn Ja’far al-Kittānī. It contains the basic foundations of creed that were typically taught to young Muslim children as a premier text before they delved into more complex theological matters if that was the path they wanted to take. […]
16
Dec
Dec
The spectrum of human experience entails different modes of examination to gain an understanding of what makes us human and how to lead and live a life worth living. Appreciating this point sheds light on the essential futility of the debate between science and religion, which assumes a fundamental incommensurability between them. However, rather than an either/or dichotomy, recognizing what type of […]
05
Oct
Oct
One of the most often cited reasons for leaving religion appeals to science. More specifically, Pew Research Center reports that many American “nones” lost their faith after they went away to college and learned about evolution. Contrary to the fields of physics and chemistry, biology stands apart in its impact on religious belief. This may […]
17
Mar
Mar
Neil Postman’s book Technopoly remains as relevant today as it was when he published it in 1992. I’ve been contemplating and reading for a while now about the impact of the public’s reception of technoogy on their perception of science. It appears, at least to me, that it’s often the case that when those who are […]