Ibn Khaldun’s Theory of Knowledge An Analytical Study

Description

The sociology of knowledge is a very recent discipline, having only developed and gained recognition as such in the last decade or so. According to its fundamental principles, we must view the human mind as a tool serving humanity in its struggle for existence, not as a pristine mirror of absolute truth. Humans do not see things as they truly are, but rather as they appear from a single perspective—one that is shaped by their cultural and social position and their own psychological state.

Furthermore, the human mind is typically influenced by class affiliation and social status. Opposing classes often possess conflicting value systems; what one class considers good may be considered bad by another. For example, while the wealthy view any kind of social movement as a crime punishable by death because it threatens public peace or disrupts the public order, which they consider divinely ordained, the poor might see revolution as a blessed event or a divine act that “revives” “ancient” social justice.

Ibn Khaldun’s strong bias appears to have been one of the most important factors in his scientific creativity. Through this bias, he was able to see what others could not. We will observe later that his contemporaries were constrained when studying social phenomena by their “idealistic” conceptions and class-based judgments, while Ibn Khaldun, due to his distinguished class position and turbulent political career, transcended these limitations to establish his own unique perspective. Therefore, the current study aims to launch a somewhat indirect attack on Ibn Khaldun’s social theories. A significant portion of the discussion will be devoted to examining the conflicting opinions and value systems that characterized his time and place. We found that his theory cannot be fully understood without this approach. Through a comprehensive discussion of the key features of the various ideologies and modes of thought that preceded Ibn Khaldun’s work, we will be able to shed further light on his theories.