Science and the principles of Qur'an
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Guys, I need your opinion.
We basically knew quite well about the rules and principles of conventional science empiricism, falsifiability, hypothesis testing, logic, statistics, assumption of natural laws, exclusion of the supernatural, etc. I would like to know your opinions on the relation of science in the conventional and practical sense with Qur'anic principles. Does the Qur'an endorse the scientific method of gaining knowledge? Are there parts of the scientific methodology that goes against verses of Qur'an?
To make the discussion more focused, here I only want to discuss the scientific methodology, not on scientists' opinions on things. So please no Einstein pantheism or Dawkins atheism discussion here.
Let's start the discussion. Don't forget to back up your views with verses of Qur'an if possible.
Science Does the Qur'an endorse this method of gaining knowledge?
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Salaam brother,
Before Muslim science, you had Greek theorizing. They theorized everything but tested almost nothing. I believe Aristotles believed women only had 28 teeth, but he never checked D
The Muslim scientists went beyond just theorizing, as the Quran demanded empirecal evidence for any theory
1736 And you shall not follow blindly any information of which you have no
direct knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception) you
must verify it for yourself. In the Court of your Lord, you will be held
accountable for your hearing, Sight, and the faculty of reasoning.And they developed a sort of Occam's Razor based on this verse
3918 Who listen to the Word, and follow the best of its application (in a given
situation) Such are those whom God guides, and they are the insightful ones.These two principles were later taken over by the European scientists.
"The power that created in Muslims a ravenous appetite for knowledge sprung from the Quran." (Rev. B. Margoliouth)
Roger Bacon owed his illumination to the Muslim Moors of Spain. The great figures of European Renaissance could see further because they stood on the shoulders of the giants of the Muslim world. -- Those achievements represent what the Muslim world has been in the past. They also point to what it could become in the future. (Richard Nixon - Nixon's Ten Commandments)
In Islam, science and religion have thrived like twin sisters. Therefore, during the Qur'anic glory of Islamic civilization, science made incredible progress from which the West was later enlightened.
- Dr. Maurice Buccaille, The Bible, The Qur'an and Science
This site shows how amazing the Muslim scientists were
http//www.muslimheritage.com/Default.aspx
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Perhaps you can detail what the scientific method entails, what it is, its principles etc.
Okay...
From Imam Wikipedia ;D I got this description
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ObservationThe scientific method involves the following basic facets
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Observation. A constant feature of scientific inquiry. Reliance is placed upon the five physical senses visual perception, hearing (sense), taste, feeling, and olfaction, and upon measurement techniques. It is therefore understood that there are always certain limitations in making observations.
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Description/Hypothesis. Information must be reliable, i.e., replicable (repeatable) as well as valid (relevant to the inquiry). A hypothesis is a suggested explanation of a phenomenon, or alternately a reasoned proposal suggesting a possible correlation between or among a set of phenomena.
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Prediction. Information must be valid for observations past, present, and future of given phenomena, i.e., purported "one shot" phenomena do not give rise to the capability to predict, nor to the ability to repeat an experiment.
Any useful hypothesis will enable predictions, by reasoning including deductive reasoning. It might predict the outcome of an experiment in a laboratory setting or the observation of a phenomenon in nature. The prediction can also be statistical and only talk about probabilities.
It is essential that the outcome be currently unknown. Only in this case does the eventuation increase the probability that the hypothesis be true. If the outcome is already known, it's called a consequence and should have already been considered while formulating the hypothesis.
If the predictions are not accessible by observation or experience, the hypothesis is not yet useful for the method, and must wait for others who might come afterward, and perhaps rekindle its line of reasoning. For example, a new technology or theory might make the necessary experiments feasible.
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Control. Actively and fairly sampling the range of possible occurrences, whenever possible and proper, as opposed to the passive acceptance of opportunistic data, is the best way to control or counterbalance the risk of empirical bias.
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Falsifiability, or the elimination of plausible alternatives. This is a gradual process that requires repeated experiments by multiple researchers who must be able to replicate results in order to corroborate them. This requirement, one of the most frequently contended, leads to the following All hypotheses and theories are in principle subject to disproof. Thus, there is a point at which there might be a consensus about a particular hypothesis or theory, yet it must in principle remain tentative. As a body of knowledge grows and a particular hypothesis or theory repeatedly brings predictable results, confidence in the hypothesis or theory increases.
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Causal explanation. Many scientists and theorists on scientific method argue that concepts of causality are not obligatory to science, but are in fact well-defined only under particular, admittedly widespread conditions. Under these conditions the following requirements are generally regarded as important to scientific understanding
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Identification of causes. Identification of the causes of a particular phenomenon to the best achievable extent.
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Covariation of events. The hypothesized causes must correlate with observed effects.
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Time-order relationship. The hypothesized causes must precede the observed effects in time.
Quite lengthy, I hope that can explain the scientific methodology well.
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Peace
Razi father of medicine proves how the the Quran inspried scientists.
Lareb
