Self and Knowledge

The contempomy intellectual revival of Muslim societies proposes aprofound but problematic relationship between identity and epistemology,and between self and knowledge. I propose to elucidate this relationshipand its implications by making a fundamental distinction between self andidentity, and showing how there can be many identities but only one self. Ibegin by inquiring into the meaning of identity symbols such as “Islam” or“Muslim” prior to knowledge. For example, what is the meaning and relationshipbetween identity and knowledge in Islamization of knowledge orIslamic Philosophy? In both types of knowledge, identity is prior to knowledgein an epistemological, as well as an ontological sense.Ontologically we are suggesting that the existence of Islamic psychologyor Islamic philosophy is contingent on the being of an agency such as Islamor Muslims. Epistemologically we are arguing that Islam includes a theoryof knowledge, and Islamic principles constitute paradigmatic values fromwhich Islamic psychology or Islamic philosophy can be derived. Cleqly,the prefix Islamic gives an identity to knowledge. In other words, there arecertain truth claims which derive their legitimacy not because their truth isself-evident or rationally deducible or empirically verifiable, but becausethey satisfy certain criteria which establishes their identity as Islamic.The issue of criteria that determine what constitutes knowledge (epistemology)is indeed crucial. The first thing that needs to be resolved iswhether these criteria are universally intelligible or are functions of culturehdentityand value systems. I would like to posit that in the realms ofsocially meaningful practices it is possible to have relativistic criteria fordetermining the validity of social truths. Knowledge about answers to questionssuch as Is polygyny or homosexuality acceptable? or Are religiousrights more important than economic rights? may be determined based oncriteria that are located within the corpus of tradition and ethos of a givencultural milieu This is accomodation of cultural p l d s m . But in therealms of science and philosophy, reasoning and empirical evidence alone

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