Islamic View on Good Life: Dialogue with Philosophy of Modern Technology

Throughout the colonial and postcolonial eras, the Muslim world has been trying to come to terms with modernity. The process has been conflict-ridden, tending to veer sharply between unquestioning acceptance and strong resistance. This paper reviews the development of the philosophy of technology in the West and explores the idea that the current state of the discourse may present an opportunity for Muslims to enter into a fruitful dialogue with modern technology in their own societies. The paper identifies three developments in the Western discourse that would enable such dialogue: (1) the view that technology is not, as once was thought, value-neutral, but the expression of a society’s perception of reality; (2) the concern that technology is no longer regarded as a means to ends but as the end-in-itself; and (3) the idea that technology can and should be shaped by religious-social values. The paper assesses the consonance between these new ways of looking at technology and traditional Islamic values, and considers their implications for Muslims thinkers. It suggests that for the dialogue to take place, Muslim thinkers will need to develop insight into the ontological, epistemological, social and moral issues of technology, redefine fundamental concepts to deal with technology, and work out new ways of entering into dialogue and collaborating with fellow Muslims. The paper concludes that, approached in the right way, the Islamic paradigm of the good life could serve as a model for the rest of the world.