Scientific Worldview:
Scientists share certain basic beliefs, attitudes, and practices on how to view and gain knowledge about the natural world.
The world is understandable:
Science presumes that the things and events in the universe occur in consistent patterns that are comprehensible through careful and systematic study.
They believe that through the use of the intellect, and with the aid of instruments that extend the senses, the human mind can discover the natural laws that govern the universe.
Scientific knowledge is changeable:
Science is a process of gaining knowledge about the natural word.
The process depends on making careful observations of the natural phenomena and then formulates theories out of those observations.
Changes in scientific knowledge are inevitable because new observations may challenge prevailing theories.
Scientific knowledge is durable:
Although scientists reject the notion of attaining absolute truth and accept some uncertainty as part of nature, most scientific knowledge is durable.
The modification of theories is the norm in science, as powerful constructs tend to survive and grow more precise and to become widely accepted.
Science cannot provide answers to all questions:
There are many matters that cannot be scrutinized under scientific practices, especially the metaphysical questions, e.g., the existence of God, good and evil, freedom and freewill, mortality, the purpose of life, and etc.
Science demands evidence based on these three methodologies:
Empiricism: Everything should be based on empirical research experimental analysis.
Rationalism or logical reasoning: That is by using the principles of logic and reason.
Skepticism: Nothing is accepted as a final fact. Every fact is questionable until it is proven true by the two methods above.
Science is based on two tools: hypothesis and experiment:
Hypothesis is the first stage of research which then has to be confirmed with experimentation.
Through experiment science engages in discovering a series of causes and effect.
Then a certain formulae are formulated so that almost all events in nature can be described with a quantitative mathematical analysis.
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Advantages of scientific worldview:
Scientific research is exact and precise since it is formulated in a quantitative mathematical language.
It gives man lots of data and information about our physical world.
Through its formulation, it can predict quite accurately many natural phenomena, and assist man in the invention of various kinds of machines.
Science enables man to control and dominate nature with the application of technology.
Shortcomings of scientific worldview:
Science is not a complete way or the only way to interpret life and the universe. Its research is only concern with the “primary qualities” of nature, and not the “secondary qualities.”
From scientific viewpoint, the purpose of existence (universe & life) is not known. Thus scientific worldview is knowledge of the part, and not the whole.
Science is theoretically unstable and less enduring, so it is incapable to provide a firm, eternal, and unshakable foundations for a belief in the unseen world.
Science is not capable of providing a comprehensive and consistent explanation on life and the universe. This is mainly due to the limitation of its tools (hypothesis and experiment).
As a result of its limitation, Western science considered the natural world as something separate from the Creator. His intrusion into the running of the world and His continuous sustenance of it are not accepted in the modern scientific worldview.
Since the physical consequences of scientific research is manifested in the application of technology, and the bearer, i.e., the one who carries the responsibility of this application is the human being himself, then he has the moral responsibility to ensure that the technology does not harm him and the natural world.
However, since the activities in science does not concern about moral responsibilities, then the application of scientific knowledge depend on the moral values of the scientists and the engineers which sometimes can have harmful consequences.
Philosophical Worldview
The term philosophy comes from the Greek word philosophia, which is a compound of philos and sophia, the former meaning love, the latter, wisdom. Therefore, philosophia means love of wisdom.
Philosophical worldview depends on reason, which based upon self-evident principles that is undeniable to the mind.
It uses method such as logical reasoning, deduction and induction.
Both philosophical and scientific worldviews are conduce to action but in different ways:
- The scientific worldview conduces to action by giving human the power and capacity to control the world. But philosophical worldview conduces to action by giving the reason for action and the criteria for human choice in life.
- The philosophical worldview is seeking answers to the basic metaphysical and cosmological questions.
- The philosophical worldview is influential in the way man encounters and responds to the universe. It guides man to shape his attitude and his outlook towards being and the universe, giving him meaning to his life, or leads him away into nothingness.
Religious Worldview:
Religious worldview is based on supernatural and transcendental beliefs. Both religious and the philosophical worldviews, by contrast with the scientific worldview, cover the same domain, both seeking the answers of the totality of being and the universe.
Revelation and unseen are sources of the religious worldview, while mere reason is the source of philosophical worldview.
Philosophical reasoning is a tool in Islamic worldview. Its application is subservient to the overarching Islamic worldview.
To answer some of the metaphysical and cosmological questions, Islamic worldview relies to some extend on reason, and support facts of the Qur’anic revelation with reasonable demonstrations of the intellect (أدلة عقلية ).
Religious worldview is more stable than the scientific and philosophical worldview in terms of having certain and unchangeable principles that cover the belief system, the practical part on devotion and other human activities including the ethical, social and economical.
Religious worldview gives sanctity towards its belief system and practices.
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