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Chapter 4
Scientific Reasoning
ASSOC PROF DR ALINA ABD RAHIM
FACULTY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALYSIA

Western Science
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principle of parsimony the scientific principle

that things are usually connected in the simplest or

most economical way.

knowledge without predictive tools and which do

not allow repeatability (wahyu/ knowledge based

on naqli)- is not recognized as knowledge to the
west

this differentiate between western & Islamic

science

in the field of worldly knowledge, the process of

interpretation, experiments and observations will

produce a variety of rules, regulations or theory
This is suitable to acquire knowledge in the physical

world of science, using quantitative methods

However, the method based on scientific methods or

rational knowledge, cannot be used to study the

spiritual world, or the essence and characteristics of
God.

Analysis and Reductionism

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1.

Analysis is the activity of breaking an observation

or theory down into simpler concepts in order to
understand it.

2.

Reductionism in science can have several different

senses.

3.

One type of reductionism is the belief that all fields

of study are ultimately amenable to scientific
explanation

Daniel Clement Dennet (1995)

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1.

Invented the term greedy reductionism to describe

the assumption that such reductionism was
possible

2.

He claims that it is just bad science, seeking to

find explanations which are appealing or eloquent,
rather than those that are of use in predicting
natural phenomena

Islamic Sciences
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Empirical knowledge is acquired from knowledge

and facts that can be evaluated and perceived by the

human senses (visual, auditory, etc)
The mind (aql) functioned as a tool to provide
conclusion and evaluation, based on the senses
The foundation of empirical knowledge is based on
the senses, while the rational approach of
knowledge, rely on the mental ability of the mind.

Influence on and by
Islamic (Muslim)
Philosophy and
where it fits in
regards to other
world philosophies

Islamic Science vs secularism

Secular Science8
did not accept metaphysical world & proof of

naqli
Science is a human activity, and what affects
scientists will have an effect on science.
One may think that having such unscientific
factors affect theory judgments is bad for science.
That may very well be true, but unfortunately
there is no known way to separate the helpful
principles (explanatory power etc.) from the
unfavorable ones (personal biases etc.) in the
subconscious minds of scientists that make these
theory judgments.

Islamic Science vs secularism

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Western rationalism depend entirely on the human mind.

Islamic science define the limitations and abilities of the human

mind.
The empirical and rational knowledge based from western
approach, should not neglect the element of wahyu, or
revelation, especially when making an interpretation of any
findings.
Instead, Islamic science must integrate the empirical, rational

approach with wahyu and the Quranic teachings, to help the

human mind to decipher and perceive the majestic creation of
the world through Allah.
Thus increasing faith on the existence of God, Creator of all
beings

Islamic Science vs secularism

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Because every human being has their own unique

set of shaping principles, different scientists (and

regular human beings) can look at the exact same
set of data and disagree about which theory most
rationally explains the observations.

Rather than the traditional view that science is to

be protected from biases and other imperfections

of people,

it turns out that science (western science) is

inescapably infected with humanness.

Science and Muslim Society by Nasim Butt

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Seminar on Knowledge & Values International Federation of

Institutes of Advance Study (IFIAS) Stockholm September 1981.
Framework for 10 Islamic values :
Tauhid (keesaan Allah)
Khilafah (human as viceregent on this world)
Ibadah
Ilm (knowledge)
Halal (Allowed)
Haram (prohibited)
Zhulm (zalim)
Ishtishlah (general benefits, wellbeing/kemaslahatan umum)
Dhiya (transgression / kecerobohan)

Ukuran Sains Barat (WESTERN

Ukuran Sains Islam (ISLAMIC SCIENCE)

SCIENCE)
Percaya pada rasionalitas

Percaya pada wahyu

BELIEVE IN RATIONALITY

12 OF REVELATION
BELIEF

Sains untuk sains

sains untuk mendapat keridhoan Allah

SCIENCE FOR THE SAKE OF SCIENCE

SCIENCE TO GAIN ALLAHS BLESSINGS

Satu-satunya

Banyak metode berlandaskan akal dan wahyu

metode,

cara

untuk

mengetahui realitas

MANY METHODS FROM AQL AND WAHYU

ONLY ONE METHOD TO UNDERSTAND

REALITY

Netralitas

emosional

sebagai

kunci

prasarat

komitmen

emosional

sangat

penting

untuk

menggapai

mengangkat usaha-usaha sains spiritual maupun

raasionalitas.EMOTIONAL

NEUTRALITY

social.EMOTIONAL COMMITMENTS ESENTIAL IN

AS

TO

GAINING SPIRITUAL AND SOCIAL EVENTS

PREREQUISITE

REACH

RATIONALITY

Tidak memihak NON COMMITAL

5.Pemihakan

pada

TOWARDS TUTH

kebenaran

COMMITMENT

Ukuran Sains Barat (WESTERN

Ukuran Sains Islam (ISLAMIC SCIENCE)

SCIENCE)
Tidak adanya bias NO BIASE BASED ON
OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENTS

6.Adanya subyektifitas SUBJECTIVITY

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Penggantungan pendapat NO OPINION

7.Menguji pendapat TESTING OF OPINION

Reduksionisme REDUCTIONISM

8.Sintesis SYNTHESIS

Fragmentasi FRAGMENTED

9.Holistik HOLISTIC

Universalisme

10.Universalisme

Individualisme

11.Orientasi

masyarakat

ORIENTATION

TOWARDS

SOCIETY
Neralitas VALUELESS

12.Orientasi nilai ORIENTED TOWARDS VALUE

Loyalitas kelompok GROUP LOYALTY

13.Loyalitas pada Tuhan dan makhluknya LOYALTY

TOWARDS ALLAH AND BEINGS

Kebebasan absolut

14.Manajemen sains

ABSOLUTE FREEDOM

terhingga nilainya

merupakan sumber yang

tidak

MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES
Tujuan membenarkan sarana

15Tujuan tidak membenarkan sarana

THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS

UNACCEPTABLE IF THE METHODS GOES AGAINST

VALUES OF ISLAM