Al-Ghazali's Use of the Concepts of Miracle, Habit, and Mercy, to Critique Inductive experimental Science

Abstract

Science bases its premises and results on induction that is believed to form reliable truths of worldly phenomena. The problem of induction, however, postulates that we cannot, at any point, exhaust an experiment ad infinitum to create certitude in its results. Yet, inductive inquiry remains the means of attaining scientific knowledge till date, making its subject matter an essential topic to investigate both philosophically and historically. Imam al-Ghazālī is probably one of the earliest thinkers to make use of the concept of induction, utilizing it to justify religious phenomena. This thesis explores how al-Ghazālī employed induction to develop his theory of causality and shows, through various of his works, that it is more difficult to claim that al-Ghazālī was a strict occasionalist than it is to claim that he held a compromised idea on causality. This conclusion is reached by studying the chronology of al-Ghazālī’s works in relation to changes, if any, in his ideas on causality. Also, this thesis formulates philosophical interpretations and definitions to terms that were either directly expressed by al-Ghazālī, or that can be inferred from his writings, that comprehensively state and express his theory of causality, its significance, and the reasons behind his rigorous defense of religious concepts. The terms that require philosophical expressions are ‘agency,’ ‘power,’ ‘mercy,’ ‘miracle,’ ‘impossibility,’ ‘habit,’ and ‘disruption of habit.’ A fundamental value of the thesis is its extraction of the concept of ‘God’s mercy,’ which has not been adequately addressed in previous works, from the seventeenth discussion, by showing that it constitutes a significant component of al-Ghazālī’s theory of causality, playing a pivotal role in his critique of the philosophers. Thus, this thesis emphasizes and elaborates on the concept of ‘God’s mercy,’ using various of al-Ghazālī’s books, to argue that al-Ghazālī’s response to the philosophers concerning God’s creation of a human habit and his refraining from the regular interference with this habit is an act of his mercy upon humanity. This in turn, gives meaning to al-Ghazālī’s motivation for formulating a theory of causality whose rationale is based on revelation and the justification of religious issues. Finally, the thesis addresses the historical value of al-Ghazālī’s account on causality through its interaction with the philosopher Ibn Rushd, and its relevance and similarity to the more recent philosopher David Hume.