Cause, learning & Evolution
- From: "Altway" <altway@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 23:05:48 -0500
Question:-
It is not only changes that require causes, but also learning, development
and evolution. It is supposed in Western science that the nature of a Human
person, and perhaps animals also, is the result of two factors, what is
inherent or genetic and what acquired from the environment. Is that view
compatible with Islam?
Answer:-
That is a Western mechanistic, deterministic view which sees all things as
being inert. That is why they also need the idea of an external force that
causes these inert things to behave in the way we see them behave. This
attitude is incorporated in Newton's Laws of Motions on which the whole of
Western science is based, including their Theory of Evolution. This view
depends on thinking of things in isolation from their context. And indeed,
when scientific studies are done in the laboratories, the things studied are
usually isolated so that one variable can be studied in terms of another.
But the resulting behaviour is then not the same as when the entity was in
its natural context. The description is not really true to nature. But this
allows artificial inventions where conditions are also controlled.
I do not think that this is compatible with the Islamic viewpoint which is a
holistic one, where all things are seen as arising by progressive
differentiation through several stages and levels from a single source and
form a single comprehensive self-consistent harmonious system.
"Surely We have created everything according to a measure. And Our command
is but one, as the twinkling of an eye." Quran 54:49-50.
"Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like of them.
The Commandment continues to descend among them slowly, that you may know
that Allah has power over all things and that Allah indeed encompasses all
things in knowledge." Quran 65:12
But then the purpose of Islam is not impersonal verbal knowledge but a guide
to living in adjustment to Reality, which is a much wider all inclusive
goal. I do not think that this is compatible with the Islamic viewpoint
which is a holistic one, where all things are seen as arising from a single
source and form a single comprehensive self-consistent harmonious system.
But then the purpose of Islam is not impersonal verbal knowledge but a guide
to living in adjustment to Reality, which is a much wider all inclusive
goal. However, there is no notion of Free Will either. This is an idea that
also exists relative to and in opposition to determinism. According to the
Quran:-
"And unto Allah do prostrate whoever is in the heavens and the earth,
willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in the morning and the
evening." 13:15.
"There is no power save in Allah." 18:40.
Note that reference to the shadow implies that behaviour is a response and
not determined by the source of the cause.
According to the Quran everything is created by the Word of Allah with Truth
(Quran 3:47, 6:74, 16:3, 45:22, 46:3) and this gives everything its own
structure, functions, instincts and modes of behaviour (Quran 14:48-50,
16:68-69, 10:6-7, 13:8, 15:19, 16:1-16, 17:44, 22:18, 25:2, 67:3 ). The
implication is that things do have an inherent nature, and though they have
a function and interaction with respect to their environment, they also have
a certain degree of autonomy and independence, flexibility and power of
adjustment and adaptability. This can be called "intelligence", though this
differs in kind and power according to the nature of the entity. That is,
the entities, objects or organisms are not inert, but also affect and are
affected by the environment, and the action of the external environment or
the objects in it depends not only on the their nature but also on the
nature of the object under consideration. The entity is composed of
information and is an information processor. It receives an input,
"interprets" its environment, behaves accordingly and produces an output
that affect other things. (34:2). Basically, it could be said that all
things lie in a Field or Sea of Truth or Information. ("Allah indeed
encompasses all things in knowledge." 65:12). And all processes are
transactions in Truth or information, though Truth has a wider meaning than
information as it includes the notion of fact, meaning and value - that is,
it does not imply isolated bits, but something that is related to the whole
of which it is apart.
As all things are made of Truth, it is the introduction of truth into things
that causes development and leakage of truth out causes degeneration. Change
simply means changes in inner order or information. As things are
information processors, there is a constant input and output of truth.
It should be noted that no distinction is made between matter, energy,
force, life and consciousness. (e.g. 22:18, 33:72) These can be regarded as
properties (characteristics) of all entities to different degrees. In fact,
life and mind can probably be regarded as energy, all being forms of
behaviour. Matter refers to inertia and consciousness is a property of
spirit. All things arise from a spiritual ground state by the ordering at
several stages and levels. (Quran 54:50, 65:12) The cause of events is not
prior in time but lies at a higher level.
There are, therefore, three factors, not two, that account for behaviour,
learning, development and evolution:- (1) The inherent factor that is
connected with an entities inner organisation. (2) The nature of the
environment in which it exists. (3) The efforts, relationships and
interactions of the entity with its environment. This is determined by
motives that flow from its structure. It is necessary to understand that a
thing is known by its characteristics and these depend on its relationship
with other things. If it is put into different contexts the entity will show
different set of characteristics.
Learning is the modification of the entity owing to its experiences and
efforts. It is possible that this can be destructive or constructive or
simply altering. Or it can also be cumulative, associative, analytic and
synthetic. It can increase or decrease in complexity or simplicity. These
terms are relative. A term by which we describe something may be a simple
one but internally complex owing to its comprehensiveness. Or we can
describe it in a complex manner using non-comprehensive terms. Try
describing the money earning behaviour of a person in terms of the behaviour
of the cells or atoms he is composed of.
Learning can be about systems of facts, meanings and values. All three
constitute knowledge and knowledge is defined as awareness of truth. Factual
systems refer to bodies of Knowledge. Meaning systems are modes of
processing such as logic and mathematics or modes of interacting with other
people or technological processes. Value systems refer to ethics, morality,
purposes and goals.
There is already in man, and other creatures, inherent information in all
these respects, and there is also information in the environment which may
unconsciously or subconsciously affect man. But it is also necessary for man
to seek and discover it consciously, in the environment, within himself and
through his interactions. ("O Lord, increase us in knowledge." 20:114 )
Full article can be read at
http://www.altway.freeuk.com/Clarification/1-Causes.htm
and
http://www.altway.freeuk.com/Clarification/9-Causes2.htm
Hamid S. Aziz
.
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