The scientific paradigm developed by UIN Datokarama Palu refers to the institution’s vision and mission, which promotes moderate Islam (wasathiyyah) based on the epistemology of integrative sciences, spirituality and local wisdom. The integration of religion and science is interpreted as a process of combining and adjusting elements of both religion and science to produce a blend of two different dimensions which then have harmony. In other words, the integration of religion (spirituality) and science into a unified and coherent whole. There are several reasons why integrative sciences have become important to carry out in the context of UIN Datokarama Palu, namely:
The dichotomy between religious and general sciences will only degrade Islamic sciences, because in the history of Islamic civilization, there was no dichotomy between Islamic and general sciences.
Integration will foster a positive attitude and proportional appreciation of vertical and horizontal knowledge. In addition, the integration of knowledge can erode and eliminate phobic attitudes towards everything that comes from vertical sources, or the attitude of ‘declaring science as infidel’, values and laws originating from horizontal sources.
In practice, the dichotomy of science or the separation between general science and religious science causes limitations for alumni of state Islamic universities, especially when they enter the workforce.
The integration of knowledge is the merger of the structure of science so that there is no longer a dichotomy between religious science & general science. The structure of science does not separate the branches of religious science from the branches of observational science, experiments and logical reasoning. The integrative structure of science is between studies sourced from qauliyah verses from the Quran and hadiths, with kauniyah verses from observations, experiments and logical reasoning. To achieve the level of epistemological integration of religious and general sciences, integration must be carried out at the level of ontological integration, classification of sciences and methodological integration.
Knowledge, systematically organized into various academic disciplines, must be recognized before building an Islamic knowledge structure which is part of efforts to develop a comprehensive relationship between science and religion. The structure of Islamic knowledge is developed based on four components – borrowing Osman Bakar’s concept known as the theoretical structure of science. The four structures are: (1) the first component relates to subject and object matter. The science that builds the body of knowledge in the form of concepts, facts, theories, and scientific laws or rules, and the logical relationships therein; (2) basic premises and assumptions that become the basis for the epistemology of science; (3) methods of developing science, and (4) the goals to be achieved by science. To build an Islamic knowledge framework, these four knowledge structures need to be formulated by linking them to the Islamic scientific tradition such as: theology, metaphysics, cosmology, and psychology
Based on the above framework, the formulation of the integration of science, spirituality and local wisdom as pillars in realizing the vision of moderate Islam will continue to be tested and developed in building the scientific paradigm of UIN Datokarama Palu going forward. As an initial step, the integrative scientific paradigm to be developed is based on seven epistemological theses of Islamic science offered by Noeng Muhadjir, namely:
Main epistemological thesis: revelation is absolute truth;
Epistemological thesis I: the truth that can be achieved by humans is only probabilistic truth;
Epistemological thesis II: the existence of the truth achieved can be in the form of sensual-empirical, logical, ethical and transcendental existence, or in the language of the Quran the existence of truth is verses, signs, guidance, and mercy. Not four variations of truth, but four phases or strata;
Epistemological thesis III: the right logic model in proving the truth is probabilistic logic, because human logic cannot reach absolute truth;
Epistemological thesis IV: the probabilistic inductive proof model can be used in examining human relations with others, as well as their relationship with nature, as long as it is not related to values (both human and divine);
Epistemological thesis V: the probabilistic deductive proof model can be used in examining the various relationships mentioned above, if related to values;
Epistemological thesis VI: the probabilistic reflective logic model with thematic or maudhu’i deduction is more appropriate to be used to study and accept the absolute truth of the text.
The placement of revelation as the main epistemological thesis which is absolute is something agreed upon by most other Muslim scientists, of course intended as a foundation for the other six epistemological theses, whose levels are probabilistic. This thesis inspires and becomes the distinctive characteristic of the epistemological structure of Islamic science which distinguishes it from secular Western epistemology. Classical Muslim scientists believe that scientific truths obtained through proper scientific methods must be in line with prophetic truths derived from revelation.
Such a scientific paradigm will become a philosophical foothold in building an academic climate and developing an integrative curriculum at UIN Datokarama Palu. Collaborative work involving multidisciplinary academics is needed to formulate the desired curriculum structure. An initial strategy that can be carried out in the context of integration of knowledge is that Islamic studies in each of their topics of study must be supported or criticized by relevant theories from the social sciences, humanities and/or modern sciences. Conversely, studies of social, humanities and/or modern sciences must be supported or criticized by relevant theories or concepts from Islamic studies, especially at the worldview level. Not just to give justification or label with verses or hadiths.
The integration model adopted by UIN Palu is basically an adoption of several models that have been developed by several existing Islamic University with some modifications according to the demands of the academic needs of UIN Datokarama Palu. The integration includes philosophical, material and methodological level.
Based on the above framework, the formulation of integrating science, spirituality and local wisdom as pillars in realizing the vision of moderate Islam will continue to be tested and developed in building the scientific paradigm of UIN Datokarama Palu going forward. As an initial step, the integrative scientific paradigm to be developed is based on seven epistemological theses of Islamic science offered by Noeng Muhadjir, namely:
Main epistemological thesis: revelation is absolute truth;
Epistemological thesis I: the truth that can be achieved by humans is only probabilistic truth;
Epistemological thesis II: the existence of the truth achieved can be in the form of sensual-empirical, logical, ethical and transcendental existence, or in the language of the Quran the existence of truth is verses, signs, guidance, and mercy. Not four variations of truth, but four phases or strata;
Epistemological thesis III: the right logic model in proving the truth is probabilistic logic, because human logic cannot reach absolute truth;
Epistemological thesis IV: the probabilistic inductive proof model can be used in examining human relations with others, as well as their relationship with nature, as long as it is not related to values (both human and divine);
Epistemological thesis V: the probabilistic deductive proof model can be used in examining the various relationships mentioned above, if related to values;
Epistemological thesis VI: the probabilistic reflective logic model with thematic or maudhu’i deduction is more appropriate to be used to study and accept the absolute truth of the text.
The placement of revelation as the main epistemological thesis which is absolute is something agreed upon by most other Muslim scientists, of course intended as a foundation for the other six epistemological theses, whose levels are probabilistic. This thesis inspires and becomes the distinctive characteristic of the epistemological structure of Islamic science which distinguishes it from secular Western epistemology. Classical Muslim scientists believe that scientific truths obtained through proper scientific methods must be in line with prophetic truths derived from revelation.
Such a scientific paradigm will become a philosophical foothold in building an academic climate and developing an integrative curriculum at UIN Datokarama Palu. Collaborative work involving multidisciplinary academics is needed to formulate the desired curriculum structure. An initial strategy that can be carried out in the context of integration of knowledge is that Islamic studies in each of their topics of study must be supported or criticized by relevant theories from the social sciences, humanities and/or modern sciences. Conversely, studies of social, humanities and/or modern sciences must be supported or criticized by relevant theories or concepts from Islamic studies, especially at the worldview level. Not just to give justification or label with verses or hadiths.
The integration model adopted by UIN Palu is basically the adoption of several models that have been developed by several existing Islamic University with some modifications according to the demands of the academic needs of UIN Datokarama Palu. The integration includes philosophical, material and methodological levels.