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This book examines all verses of the Quran involving knowledge related concepts. It begins with the argument that an analysis of the Quranic concept of ignorance points to epistemic virtues that can pave our way towards gaining knowledge and/or understanding. It deals with the Quranic concepts of perceptual, rational, and revelatory knowledge as well as understanding and wisdom in the light of recent discussions in Western analytic epistemology. It also argues that the relevant Quranic verses seem to involve concept of an epistemic conscience whose proper exercise can yield knowledge or understanding. While not overlooking the Quranic emphasis on revelation as a source of knowledge, the book draws our attention to a remarkable overlap between some strains of contemporary virtue epistemology and Quranic approach to knowledge. It shows that the Quranic verses suggest a progressive sequence from propositional knowledge to understanding to wisdom.
List of contents
1. Epistemic Concepts in the Quran.- 2. From Ignorance to Knowledge: Deriving Epistemic Virtues from the Quranic Conception of Ignorance.- 3. Quran on Knowledge: An Analysis of Etymological Variants of 'i-l-m in the Text.- 4. On Understanding.- 5. Epistemic Virtues in the Quran and the Role of Epistemic Conscience.- 6. Value-Problem in Contemporary Western Epistemology and the Quranic Concept of Understanding.- 7. Concept of Wisdom in the Quran.- 8. Implications of the Quranic Epistemology for Religion and Secularism.
About the author
Former Vice Chancellor of Hazara University in Pakistan, M. Ashraf Adeel is Professor of Philosophy at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. He earned his PhD in Philosophy of Science/Language with distinction from University of Hawaii, has held Professorship at University of Peshawar, and was a Senior Visiting Fellow at Linacre College Oxford in 1999. He publishes research in Philosophy of Science and Language as well as Modern Islamic Thought and is a poet and playwright.
