Ghost of a flea

Islam, Modernity and Science

Speaking at the National University of Ireland, Galway in late 2006, Michael Lessnoff* presents his paper "Islam, Modernity and Science". While Lessnoff is careful to describe himself as an amateur in approaching Islam he is specialist in the work of the subject of the Galway conference, Flea-fav Ernest Gellner. Lessnoff's subject in this paper is therefore only indirectly Islam qua Islam but is instead meant to critique Gellner's distinction of "high Islam" and "folk Islam", one clearly inspired by Max Weber.

I believe Lessnoff has identified an important little bundle of ideas to unpack as we Western objects of the latest wave of jihad try to comprehend the worldview(s) of the enemy. It is natural we should fall back on our own religious history, and religious distinctions, to do so. For example, it has become a commonplace to describe Wahhabism as Puritanical and to suggest Islam is in need of Reformation.**

Lessnoff describes Gellner's distinction between high Islam as "generically Protestant" in its sobriety, observance of the law and reliance on holy texts and, in this way "Modernity friendly". This is distinguished from Sufi-inspired, saint observing folk Islam. The remainder of his talk introduces a history of Islamic law as a history of ideas; worth a listen as background for addressing the broader issues with which we are all confronted. Unfortunately, Lessnoff's timing, and a strict moderator***, mean I am left unclear quite what his critique of Gellner might be. I gather the piece was published in the European Journal of Social Theory and that he criticizes Gellner’s "blind eye towards Islam’s treatment of women, ..." the "..." indicating the limit of Google's cache at the journal's subscription wall.

Nonetheless, excellent to hear the term "usul" mentioned in passing and, beyond this specific reference, to realize how many terms of Islamic jurisprudence I learned when I was fifteen and first read Dune.

Related: I just Googled Michael Lessnoff to be certain I had his provenience right and find Will posted on this at A General Theory of Rubbish. Two thoughts: One, a curiosity of Will also found it by searching Google Video for "puritan". Two, now thinking either I need to broaden by internet social network or I it could be I am already talking to exactly the right people.

* "MICHAEL LESSNOFF recently retired as Reader in Politics and is currently Honorary Research Fellow at the Department of Politics, University of Glasgow, Scotland. He studied at the University of Glasgow and Balliol College, Oxford. Among his publications are The Structure of Social Science (1974), Social Contract (1986), The Spirit of Capitalism and the Protestant Ethic: An Enquiry into the Weber Thesis (1994), Political Philosophers of the Twentieth Century (1999) and Ernest Gellner and Modernity (2002)."
** Or a counter-Reformation by preference.
*** Though strict moderators are generally a blessing.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at March 31, 2008 04:44 AM

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