Science, Islam don't have to conflict

I'm writing to address some issues that were brought up in the article "Science pitted against religion" (Oct. 25) describing Pervez Hoodbhoy's talk in Bloomington on Islam and science. I participated in a two-hour follow-up discussion with Professor Hoodbhoy in which he elaborated on his views in more detail. I wish that talk and discussion had also been included in the IDS report, as this would have presented a more balanced and less superficial picture of some of those ideas -- a depth I believe Professor Hoodbhoy, members of the Pakistan Students Association, Muslim community and other concerned observers would all have appreciated.\nTwo things in particular stand out in the article. First, there is the suggestion that Islamic countries have been unable and unwilling to develop a "scientific culture." Second, there is the notion that there is a wider battle between tradition and modernity, with the assumption that Islam represents tradition. \nWith respect to the first, a huge portion of the world aside from "Islamic" areas was similarly unable to compete with European developments in science and technology. This suggests there was something about the European experience rather than something unique to Islamic culture that is responsible.\nAs for the second, an entire culture with the staggering diversity it contains cannot be identified with a single label, nor can that label then be the causal agent in explaining underdevelopment. This has uncomfortable similarities to early categorizations of race (which are now debunked by anthropologists) into White, Black, Red and Brown, and their associated characterizations. It also seems surprisingly close to the Orientalist descriptions of Islam that were associated with the colonial era. \nIn the context of our discussion, Professor Hoodbhoy agreed that enlightened understandings of Islam would permit adherence to important traditional values as well as a scientific culture, and that the two have the potential to (and historically have) inspire further explorations in each.