Tuesday, April 16 at 5pm
Humanities 250
This talk will be based on Dr. Muhammad U. Faruque's acclaimed book Sculpting Selves (University of Michigan Press, 2021). Alongside detailed analyses of three major Islamic thinkers, Dr. Faruque’s study situates their writings on selfhood within the wider constellation of related discussions in late modern and contemporary thought, which allows him to develop his inquiry within a spectrum theory of selfhood, incorporating bio-physiological, socio-cultural, and ethico-spiritual modes of discourse and meaning-construction. Weaving together insights from several disciplines, including religious studies, philosophy, anthropology, critical theory, and neuroscience, and arguing against views that narrowly restrict the self to a set of cognitive functions and abilities, Dr. Faruque proposes a multidimensional account of the self that offers new options for addressing central issues in the contemporary world, including spirituality, human flourishing, and meaning in life.
Dr. Faruque is a philosopher whose research lies at the intersection of philosophy, science, and environmental studies, especially in relation to the Islamic intellectual tradition. He earned his PhD from the University of California, Berkley and served as Exchange Scholar at Harvard University and as George Ames Postdoctoral Fellow at Fordham University. His highly acclaimed book Sculpting Selves (University of Michigan Press, 2021) addresses “what it means to be human” in a secular, post-Enlightenment world by exploring notions of selfhood and subjectivity in Islamic and non-Islamic philosophical literatures, including modern philosophy and neuroscience. While his past research has explored modern and premodern conceptions of selfhood and identity and their bearing on ethics, religion, and culture, his current project investigates whether or not Sufi philosophy and practice support and foster an active engagement toward the planet’s well-being and an ecologically viable way of life. He is also at work on A.I. and the ethical challenges of information technology.
Co-hosted by the Center for Asian Studies, the CU Mediterranean Studies Group, the Center for Humanities and the Arts, Religious Studies.