Using Cognitive Science to Reconceptualize Islamic Ethics and “Islamist” Socio-political Movements

Since the 1970s, “Islamist” movements have risen to prominence in many parts of the Muslim world. These movements promote a greater role for Islam in society and/or government. Different approaches exist for analyzing Islamism. One of the most influential derives from the “practice theory” developed by thinkers like Pierre Bourdieu, Michel Foucault, and Anthony Giddens. Practice theory is concerned with the mind, and attributes characteristic of the mind.Footnote1 These attributes include desires, beliefs, character traits, emotions, and so on. Practice theory posits that repeated action (i.e., “practice”) can alter the mind’s attributes. This process is explained using insights from Aristotle. Thus, it is held that particular attributes are associated with particular practices (i.e., patterns of behavior). For instance, desire for reading (an attribute) is associated with the practice of reading. Belief in God (an attribute) is associated with the practice of prayer. In keeping with Aristotle, it is argued that an individual may develop an attribute by continuously performing the associated practice. For instance, a woman may develop a desire for reading through the practice of continuously reading books. Likewise, she may develop belief in God through the practice of continuous prayer. Notably, Aristotle holds that people should strive to acquire good attributes by performing associated practices. For Aristotle, “ethics” centers on this process.