Between Nasr and Ateş: What understanding of evolution do science

educators want?

Taner Edis

Department of Physics,

Truman State University

22009

A successful creationism

• Muslim populations are reluctant to accept evolution (Hameed etc).

• Uneven presence of evolution in education. State-sponsored creationism (Turkey >80s).

• Globalized, postmodern, media creationism. (Harun Yahya)

32009

US creationism less successful

• Large public support. (Gallup since 1980: 45% YEC, 45% guided evolution, 10% naturalistic evolution.)

• Creationism and ID unacceptable in intellectual high culture.

• Little penetration into public education (informal, private).

42009

Consensus compatibilism

• Alliance between scientific community and liberal religion.

• “Separate spheres” for science and religion widely accepted. Fundamentalists and some nonreligious scientists (Dawkins) disagree.

• Politically useful.

Religion

Science

52009

Guided evolution

• Appealing compromise, outside science.

• Academic theology: metaphysical gloss.

• Liberal churches: usefully vague.

• Common descent OK, naturalistic mechanisms less so. (~ID)

62009

Portable to Islam?

• Scientists seek allies among religious liberals; avoid confrontation (Turkish defenses of evolution). Independent of US example.

• Some Pakistani biology textbooks lead with Quranic quotation. (Preemption?)

72009

Nonhuman guided evolution

• Many religious scholars accept guided evolution.

• They often exclude humans from evolution.

• 24:45 “And God created all animals from water. . .”

• Similar to Quran-in-science apologetics.

82009

Does this help science?

• Interpreting polls: many Muslims who affirm “evolution” have a guided, non-Darwinian process in mind. (~ID)

• Guided evolution does not overtly challenge science education. But it is not an accurate reflection of modern science.

• Is it a politically useful compromise?

92009

Süleyman Ateş

• Turkish theologian. • Modernist, moderate.

Defends evolution.• Headed Directorate of

Religious Affairs.• Prominent public figure,

spokesman for Turkish official Islam.

102009

Ateş and pseudobiology

• Guided evolution ~ ID.• Ancient Greek “biology”

defending “weakness” of women, gender roles.

• Ambivalence about human evolution.

• Typical of modernist Turkish theologians.

112009

Could be worse

• Not as bad as Harun Yahya or the creationism of Islamists in Turkey.

• Hardly an affirmation of evolution as biologists understand it.

• Embedded in non- scientific view of nature.

122009

Seyyed Hossein Nasr

• Well known thinker about Islam and science, influential in West and among Muslim intellectuals.

• Opposes crude puritan Islam and special creationism.

132009

Nasr and pseudoscience

• Mostly accepts common descent, strongly opposes naturalistic evolution.

• No natural creativity; revive God-centered, medieval view of science.

142009

Could it be worse?

• To Nasr, secular, Darwinian science is the worst threat.

• He has favorably cited ICR works.

• Opposes efforts to reconcile evolution with the Quran.

• Top-down picture of nature demanded by religion. (~ID)

152009

Guided evolution in Islam

• Not the same thing as with US Christians.

• Somewhat accommodating toward evolution, but more like generic ID.

• It does not represent full acceptance of modern science.

162009

Science education

• What should science education try to achieve in a Muslim context?

• Even in US, it’s unclear whether liberal compatibilism is a success. Creationism is still strong.

172009

Just the science, ma’am?

• Alternative: just teach the science, don’t worry about cultural considerations? (Coyne)

• What works in an Islamic environment, where natural science is institutionally weak?