TY - CHAP
T1 - An Islamic engagement with Stephen Meyer's The Return of the God Hypothesis
AU - Malik, Shoaib Ahmed
AU - Mukadam, Yasmeen
AU - Khan, Mohammed Imran
PY - 2024/11/11
Y1 - 2024/11/11
N2 - This chapter delves into a critical analysis of Stephen Meyer’s Return of the God Hypothesis, focusing specifically on his emphasis on the Judeo-Christian tradition’s pivotal role in the genesis of modern science, and his arguments for Intelligent Design (ID). We contend that Meyer’s narrative may inadvertently marginalize significant contributions from other intellectual heritages, particularly the Islamic kalām tradition, which similarly provides a robust theological basis conducive to scientific inquiry. Additionally, we suggest that Meyer’s ID framework is vulnerable to two types of criticisms commonly associated with God of the Gaps arguments: firstly, it may prematurely resort to divine explanations for phenomena not yet elucidated by science, and secondly, it seems to offer a limited perspective on divine action. Through advocating for a contingency-based framework, this chapter proposes a more inclusive and adaptive discourse between science and religion, one that accommodates ongoing scientific advancements while still acknowledging the possibility of inferring divine design.
AB - This chapter delves into a critical analysis of Stephen Meyer’s Return of the God Hypothesis, focusing specifically on his emphasis on the Judeo-Christian tradition’s pivotal role in the genesis of modern science, and his arguments for Intelligent Design (ID). We contend that Meyer’s narrative may inadvertently marginalize significant contributions from other intellectual heritages, particularly the Islamic kalām tradition, which similarly provides a robust theological basis conducive to scientific inquiry. Additionally, we suggest that Meyer’s ID framework is vulnerable to two types of criticisms commonly associated with God of the Gaps arguments: firstly, it may prematurely resort to divine explanations for phenomena not yet elucidated by science, and secondly, it seems to offer a limited perspective on divine action. Through advocating for a contingency-based framework, this chapter proposes a more inclusive and adaptive discourse between science and religion, one that accommodates ongoing scientific advancements while still acknowledging the possibility of inferring divine design.
UR - https://www.routledge.com/Design-Discourse-in-Abrahamic-Traditions-History-Metaphysics-and-Sci/Kojonen-Malik/p/book/9781032719900
U2 - 10.4324/9781003422600-12
DO - 10.4324/9781003422600-12
M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)
SN - 9781032719900
T3 - Routledge Science and Religion Series
SP - 199
EP - 217
BT - Design Discourse in Abrahamic Traditions
A2 - Kojonen, E.V.R.
A2 - Malik, Shoaib A.
PB - Routledge
CY - London
ER -