Evolving Thinking

Following the news coverage in early October on Ardi, the oldest huminoid specimen to date, I wrote a post sharing my dismay that the theory of evolution and religion have to be put at odds, while the fundamental concepts of that theory are also grossly misunderstood by many in the Middle East. A recent Michael Slackman article highlighted the importance of an event held in Alexandria, Egypt encompassing the same themes.

The British Council hosted a conference to discuss Charles Darwin's ideas on evolution, and while personal beliefs on science and religion may not have changed, the significance of the occasion lies in its support of intellectual freedom and discussion. The article is well worth the read, but I want to highlight extremely important passages that discuss education, intellectualism, religion, and more in Egypt and the Arab world:

It is not that Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution are unknown here. But even among those who profess to know something about the subject, the common understanding is that Darwin said man came from monkeys. Darwin, of course, did not say man came from monkeys. He said the two share a common ancestor.

Darwin may be misunderstood here, but in many ways that is but one symptom of a more fundamental problem with education in Egypt and around the region. In a culture that prizes and nurtures conformity, challenging conventions and beliefs is anathema, said writers, political scientists, social workers, students and educators at and beyond the conference.

“Our culture, the whole Arab culture, unfortunately, does not encourage free thinking,” said Madiha el-Safty, a sociology professor at American University in Cairo. “You’re not encouraged to think freely, you’re supposed to be molded into certain forms and frameworks.”

Egypt, for example, once considered the intellectual capital of the Arab world, was recently ranked 124th of 133 countries in the quality of its primary education by the World Economic Forum.

“If our education system is solid, but without emphasis on Darwin, it would be O.K.,” said Belal Fadl, a script writer and social commentator. “But our education system doesn’t really teach anything well, not Arabic, not English, nothing.”

While defending Darwin, it was this broader theme, the idea of at least listening to new ideas, that the library’s director, Ismail Sergaldin, emphasized in his opening remarks. He pointed to the Koran, which he said emphasized study and scholarship, as well as early Muslim scientists, to make his point. He cited the words of the pioneering 13th-century physician Ibn al-Nafis: “When hearing something unusual, do not pre-emptively reject it, for that would be folly. Indeed, horrible things may be true, and familiar and praised things may prove to be lies. Truth is truth unto itself, not because people say it is.”

“Darwin’s theory of species says nothing about the appearance of life — or about the origins of the universe,” read panel No. 7, in an exhibition on man’s evolution that was displayed during the conference. “It is perfectly plausible to uphold a scientific account of how natural laws allowed the universe and life to develop and to believe that a deity created those laws.”

Check out the conference website.