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Tyrion
07-07-2010, 08:00 AM
Hey all,
I've recently taken an interest in Cognitive Science (study of the mind) and I'm considering making this my major in college. What I want to know is if any of you guys has any thoughts about how cognitive science and Islam might go together? i suppose what I'm getting at is that I'd really like to study Islam/be religious while studying cognitive science, and i want to know what sort of things i could be looking at in Islam through the lens of Cognitive Science, if anything. Basically, some way of combining the two.. I hope that question made sense.. :P
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syed_z
07-07-2010, 12:52 PM
Asalaam O Alaikum brother...

if you look at the Islamic World, we are very behind in terms of rivaling Western Philosophy , as in the West there is much research and learning that happens, while in Muslim Countries even though there are Universities and Learning Centres, the way Philosophical Subject are treated in West is different....

In the Muslim World there is not much Philosophy or even if there was , it is not promoted as it should be. Rather in the Muslim World, people are trying to make Marxism compatible with Islam and Secularism and other Western philosophies compatible with Islam. The problem with these Muslims is that because of the lack of understanding the Islamic Philosophy, and since the West has progressed much in the field of Science , we in the Muslim world, i.e many of the educated class of Muslims, look up to them for solutions to all our problems, even though Islam is very clear and does help in solving in the best manner those problems.... the problem lies with Muslim Governments Separating Islam from the Educational Centers in the Muslim World and making them follow, a secular based education system, in which Islam remains totally sidelined.... reason is also because of the British and European Rule over us, specially in the Subcontinent and parts of Norther Africa, we Muslims have not only adopted their Education System, but also have been using it since the time we became "independent"... which keeps us away from our own Heritage..i.e Islamic Philosophy...the literature studied in our societies is all British and over seas writers literature, whether it could be for subjects like Economics, or Sociology, etc.

The danger that lies in these Philosophies is, that they teach everything from their Secular Perspective and the Philosophies of the Western World, whether Communism, or Socialism or Marxism or Capitalism or new philosophies coming up like the one you mentioned and others, have separated God from their collective lives and give the impression that Religion is outdated and it cannot work to help us learn any further as we move in to future..... for a Muslim that leads us towards disbelief... because Quran is a Miracle of All times and it explains every path of life of ours, and if subjects of our lives studies under the Light of Quran, can not only help us learn more and open numerous paths of knowledge but also increases our Faith (Iman) at the same time....


Some Muslims say that Quran and Islam particularly cannot rival the Western Philosophies, but they say out of Ignorance... because how could they say something which they havent studied in depth, you have to study Islam 1st to be able to accept or reject.... but because they come out of a Western Educated System in their own countries, and West progressed ONLY after being away from Religion, i.e Renaissance Period, they are programed from the beginning that solution to all Problems lies in the Western way of THought... and Islamic Way of thought is backwardness!


So my advise to you is since you would be taking the Journey to Learn and dwelve deep in to A Philosophical Subject of the Western World, BE AWARE... that is please be careful to study the Quran and Sunnah and Islamic Philosophical Subjects on the Side as much as you can, so that the Doubts about Islam, which do occur to ones mind, when they study something new and being impressed by that new, they think that this is the Best... and you might say out of ignorance...

so i advise study and get books on Islamic Philosophy as well... good books will be Books of Allama Iqbal (famous Philosopher of Sub Continent) ... like... and much of the Islamic Philosophy comes from Persia and writers of the Past like Mullah Sadra (Famous Islamic Philosopher of Iran)... their writings and many Islamic Philosophy if you research online... can help you learn Philosophy on different aspects of human lives, under the light of Islam...
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PouringRain
07-11-2010, 04:01 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Tyrion
i want to know what sort of things i could be looking at in Islam through the lens of Cognitive Science, if anything. Basically, some way of combining the two.. I hope that question made sense.. :P
If you want to combine the two, and from your other post that I read tonight, I would advise you to look at research in the area of psychology of religion. Most of the research has been done with Christians, but you could probably find topics within Islam that you also might find an interest in studying or researching in the future. I have absolutely no idea how Islam views research in this area, or if you would find people receptive to things in this area, so I can not advise you in that. Perhaps an Imam or Muslim Scholar could help assist you better? From your other post/ thread made tonight, it sounds as though you are also looking for ways to reconcile research with your beliefs. Personally, having read and studied the research, I do not see the problems. I really don't want to get into it now, as it is very late here. (which is also why I am combining my answers to you in this thread, rather than posting separate comments in your two threads. :) )I hope that as you learn and study more, and also gain knowledge of research methods and statistics, that you will learn to better critically analyze the research. Sorry this is so short and not very comprehensive nor complete.
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Hugo
08-17-2010, 10:37 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Tyrion
Hey all, I've recently taken an interest in Cognitive Science (study of the mind) and I'm considering making this my major in college. What I want to know is if any of you guys has any thoughts about how cognitive science and Islam might go together? i suppose what I'm getting at is that I'd really like to study Islam/be religious while studying cognitive science, and i want to know what sort of things i could be looking at in Islam through the lens of Cognitive Science, if anything. Basically, some way of combining the two.. I hope that question made sense.. :P
There is a lot of current research into how the brain functions and if you can have a look through back issues of New Scientist as there are quite a few articles and they will help you decide if this is really what you want to do. For example, the edition 4 April 2009 had an article called "The five ages of the brain" p27-31 and I think it might be just the sort of thing that will help you decide - they have a web site and if you type in the title you may be able to read it online. The fascinating thing about science is that it stands outside of religion in the sense that its the same for everyone - that is there is only one Archimedes principle and it belongs to everyone and it works the same whether you are an ardent believer or a zealous atheist.

Also have a look at the Wikepedia entry for Gognative Science and don't worry too much about all the details but look at the very long list of references at the bottom as they will tell you where else to search and then use that to visit your library.
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