Houston, al-Rāzī Has a Problem: Are Humans (Really) the Best of Creation?
This article explores Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s (d. 1210) theological insights on the metaphysical hierarchy of creation to address the question: Can there be extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) superior to human intelligence? By revisiting a long-standing debate in the Islamic tradition concerning the...
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| Vydáno v: | Zygon |
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| Hlavní autor: | |
| Médium: | Journal Article |
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Vydáno: |
Open Library of Humanities
08.08.2025
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| Témata: | |
| ISSN: | 1467-9744, 1467-9744 |
| On-line přístup: | Získat plný text |
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| Shrnutí: | This article explores Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s (d. 1210) theological insights on the metaphysical hierarchy of creation to address the question: Can there be extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) superior to human intelligence? By revisiting a long-standing debate in the Islamic tradition concerning the superiority (afḍaliyyah) of angels versus humans, this article positions al-Rāzī as a pivotal case who diverges from the majority Ashʿarī stance by advocating for angelic superiority. Through a detailed analysis of al-Rāzī’s deconstruction of pro-human superiority arguments and his construction of arguments favoring angels, the article demonstrates how his framework challenges anthropocentric assumptions and broadens theological possibilities. If al-Rāzī’s arguments are deemed successful, his scripturally and rationally grounded framework provides a foundation for envisioning ETI that may surpass humanity in spiritual or intellectual rank. This article contributes uniquely by unveiling al-Rāzī’s underexplored ideas on angelic superiority and integrating them into the context of Islam and ETI, thereby advancing modern discourse on Islamic theological anthropology. |
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| ISSN: | 1467-9744 1467-9744 |
| DOI: | 10.16995/zygon.18951 |