The book The Architecture of Religious Science: An Integrative Theory in Religious Science, authored in Persian by Alireza Ghaeminia, has been published by the Research Institute for Islamic Culture and Thought in 568 pages.
The Architecture of Religious Science is a work wherein the author addresses one of the central concerns of contemporary Islamic thought, drawing upon his philosophical, theological, and religious expertise, as well as a profound understanding of debates within the philosophy of science. The central question is how the human sciences—which are currently founded predominantly on secular principles—can be redefined and reconstructed based on authentic Islamic foundations.
To answer this key question, Ghaeminia employs the metaphor of “architecture.” He argues that to construct the edifice of “religious science,” one must first meticulously design its intellectual infrastructure and foundations. This architecture is not confined merely to presenting a general conceptual framework; rather, it also delves into the structural details and the practical stages of operationalizing this grand idea.
Along this trajectory, the author critiques superficial and hasty approaches to religious science. By rigorously analyzing concepts such as “paradigm,” “worldview,” and “epistemological foundations,” he demonstrates how a coherent scientific system can emerge from a religious ontology and anthropology. The roles of “language,” “methodology,” and “rationality” within this new architecture are meticulously explored, as the author endeavors to build a bridge between the tradition of Islamic thought and contemporary issues in the human sciences.
Upon reading this work, one realizes that the production of religious science is not a Utopian or impossible project, but rather a process that necessitates precise theoretical prerequisites and an engineered design. The book illustrates how many of these academic disciplines—ranging from economics and psychology to sociology—are deeply influenced by the presuppositions of secularity.
