Rumi's Analytical-Critical Approaches in Science and Scientists Studies

Science and learning science are among the most important and pivotal concerns of Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi, the great mystic and thinker of the seventh century, who in his works attempted to present and accurately critique science and men of science as well as their blights and teleological purposes. Rumi divides human sciences and scholars into two categories of real and religious, and imitative and mundane. Still, in his view, the most essential discussion is studying the blights, teleological purposes, motives, and moral duties of all kinds of science and episteme that one acquires in this world or imparts with knowledge-seekers and pupils. In this study, adopting content analysis method and logical-methodological and hermeneutic approach, Rumi's theoretical and critical approaches to science and science studies have been categorized under four themes of critical and pathological; functional and teleological; psychological and motivational; and ethical and conscience-related qualities. The first significance of the study is showing that Rumi's discussions in the field of science and science studies require further academic and epistemological investigations, perhaps more than his other discussions. The second implication is that the potential or actual, logical, critical or ethical functions of this kind of science studies become clear. The third important ethical-epistemological function of this approach is that it warns the scholars against the blights and complications caused by learning science, considering the harms, motives and duties of each.