CULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

 

- Raison d’être –

 

Introduction

 

            The dynamics of civilizations and the development of civil life in human societies are primarily owed to the structures and evolution of paradigms, models, software, and evolution-prone technologies. The historical process of the birth and decline of civilizations attests to the fact that the success of great and long-lasting civilizations is contingent upon the creation and development of scientific, cultural, and artistic structures that are capable of generating suitable social software and technology.

 

            Were we to evaluate civilizations and cultures on the basis of a meta- paradigm, it would seem that the secret to the survival and success of civilizations lies in the growth and development of a triumvirate of systems:

1. The ethical system (that gives orientation)
2. The subjective system (that shapes thought)
3. The objective system (that generates power)

 

            Against the above backdrop, topics such as ethics, science, and technology will inter-relate as follows:

-          Ethics (primary)

-          Science (secondary)

-          Technology (dependent)

           

            Our main question is which of the Indian, Latin American, Orthodox Christian, Japanese, Chinese, or Muslim civilizations provided the necessary ethical backdrop for the progress of science and technology?

 

            The outcomes and products of existing civilizations, despite the variety of their past histories, reveal a gradual absorption into the secular/material worldview. Modern hardware accompanied with evolutionary – prone software are emerging as attractive and comprehensive means of influence on all aspects of social life. Modern technology is commanding such degree of respect that its owners claim to have emerged as ultimate saviors of mankind!

 

            In this midst, the most critical strategy is to place science and culture in the right perspective, so that the Islamic Republic of Iran can fulfill its role on the global scale. This in turn requires the creation of a “network”. The network will be charged with the organization of ideas and opinions. In other words, the network will assist researchers and decision-makers in concept creation, model and paradigm development, and suggestion of solutions on various levels. The main functions of the network are as follows:

-          Creation of Ideas

-          Selection of Ideas

-          Linking and proportionalizing ideas

 

            Therefore, a suitable strategy for the initiation of the above network is to engender “an agreement” or “an Islamic agreement” by creating grounds of engagement with the secular order. Therefore, the main motivation for the intellectuals is to confront unrighteousness (descent from ascent). Unrighteousness is situation – centric, whereas Islam relies on sacrifice and is therefore ascendant and evolutionary. And if the encouragement of “Islamic agreement” is construed as the main pivot of engagement with secular concepts, then this engagement/confrontation will undergird all stages of “idea creation”. In this light, the main motivation for resistance against “oppressionism” and “secularism” must be constantly encouraged. The followers of genuine Mohammadan [p] Islam will thus seek to join this network, which can be organized in an integrated manner throughout the world. Only thus will the righteous gain the upper hand in creating new concepts.

 

            We initiated this network a long time ago and submitted an original report in a book entitled Encouragement of Scientific Agreement. We thus hope to remain alongside the righteous of the world and serve the Islamic Republic by continuing this activity. God Willing.

 

The Necessity (The Main Challenge)

Change is the only constant in the world of existence. All phenomena are undergoing constant change and social and human systems are witness to even more rapid and unrelenting change. The increasing pace and complexity of diversity in societies and the ensuing need for integration and greater harmony necessitate the production and development of new software and technologies. In this midst, what seems even more vital is to create a sense of proportion between these software and the ethical orientation of social systems. Disproportionality between paradigms, models, plans strategies; social software on the one hand, and social trends on the other can cause major social rifts, stripping the society of effectiveness. Social rift is caused by two competing forces that pull the society apart between “ethical values” on one side and “objective efficiency” on the other.

These two orientations can be defined as follows:

-  “Reductionist Jurisprudence”

 

            The proponents of this line of thinking do not apprehend change and lack the means to handle it.

 

            As such they lack the prerequisites of engagement in any debate on civilizations and cannot establish a direct relationship or link between that issue and the objective system. Their absolutist perspective of Islam’s morality and the past glories of Islamic civilization assume centrality in their worldview. Saddled with this inertia they cannot take innovative initiatives and achieve an effective presence. They thus lack the ability to provide adequate intellectual support or stimulus to key decision-makers in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

 

-   “Empiricist Experts”

           

            As the understanding and perceptions of this group are based on secular tenets and corollary scientific belief-systems, they can engage in a debate on civilizations, yet they aim to institutionalize secularism in the Islamic Republic. This group considers the criterion of truth to lie in “utilitarian rationalism and scientism” and power-centric technology. The resulting chaos and problems caused by the irreconcilability of these two lines of thinking feeds the mistaken perception that ethics and efficiency are incommensurate. As such people are left at a loss as to social consensus and the inaccessibility of social agreement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This complex dilemma can be detailed as follows:

 

Lack of faith in religious           Absence of models,                   The righteous cannot

circles in the feasibility              software, social                         develop suitable social

of developing social                  concepts, and solutions                 models and therefore

software/solution based             commensurate with                         resort to traditional

        on religion                        ethical social structures                              methods

 

 

 

               Lack of faith in scientific                                          Conflict between

               circles in the feasibility of                                        scientific/academic

                   developing social                                                  findings with value

              software/solution based on                                      systems, leading to the

                           religion                                                                      

 

                           

  Crisis, rift, lack of                                      Social pressure for meeting the basic needs

      trust, and                                                         and people’s disillusionment with the

     disagreement                                                                       intellectuals

 

            A cursory glance at the developments over the past few years would reveal that Iran’s society is indeed trapped in the above loop. One of the causes perpetuating the loop is that our intellectuals have not attempted to develop new philosophies/concepts based on religious values, new concepts, models and software that would be commensurate with society’s belief systems and growth needs. Although valuable efforts have commenced in this direction, we seek to fill this strategic vacuum in spite of our limited resources. We believe, however, that other researchers will join us in the way and help develop this idea, leading us to our ultimate objectives.

 

Objective

            Our objective is to create social agreement by way of scientific agreement. The details of this objective follow:

-          Providing help to researchers in accessing and selecting previous information and analyses based on the Islamic Philosophy Model (defining research area and knowledge creation)

-          Providing help to researchers for a systematic study of subjects and their prioritization on the basis of the Islamic Philosophy Model

 

-          Methodological supervision of projects on the basis of the Islamic Philosophy model and produced Islamic models

 

-          Creating the right environment for the synergy of research findings through structured cooperation

 

-          Effort aimed at coordinating the various systems of thought in social and cultural centers and encouraging greater agreement on the basis of the Islamic Philosophy Model

 

-          Effort aimed at creating solidarity among researchers and a unity of purpose on the basis of the Islamic Philosophy Model.

 

Subject

            The main focus of the META is to “create knowledge” in the broadest sense of the term, encompassing all scientific and cultural areas. A general categorization follows:

•  Knowledge creation in the area of religion

•  Knowledge creation in the areas of logic and rational thinking

•  Knowledge creation in the various scientific fields

In this context, the main subjects can be classified in three categories:

•  Philosophy

•  Concepts

•  Models and software  

            The following table represents the categories of scientific subjects as they are and as envisioned by the Institute:

 

 

 

Other detailed subjects that can be studied at META:

•  Value:

-      Role and Status of Religion from the Standpoint of New Sociology

-      Increasing Interest of Top Executives in Ethics and Morality

-      The Rational Bases for the Interpretation of Principales of Government Rules

-      Mechanisms of Doubt/Problem Creation with respect to Religious Issues in Society

• Perspective:

-      Culture, Its Internal Ingredients and Relationship with other Social Diemnsions

    (Politics and Economy)

-      Rational Relationship between Religion and Applied Sciences

-      Cultural Revolution, Cultural Evolution

-      A model for the Evaluation of Social Issues (Based on Religion)

-      A model for the Prioritization and Classification of Social Issues Based on Religion

-      Mutual Impact of Art and Systems of Value, Perspective, and Science

-      Concept of Religious Art in the Islamic System

• Knowledge:

-      Role of Social Structures in Shaping Behavior

-      Management and Organization in the Islamic System

-      Network Management of Research

-      Mutual Impact of the Industrial System and Value Bases

-      Strategy of Technology Development in the Islamic System

 

 

 

S. Jafar Marashi

Chairman