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Presented at the 2020 World Congress on Integration and Islamicisation of Knowledge: Mental Health and well- being in the 4th Industrial Revolution’ held at IUIU on June 5, 2021, by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr MB ChB (MUK), MPH (Harvard).
FIVE PURPOSES OF THE LAW
MEANING OF ‘AQL► First: hifdh al ddiin (religion).
► Second: hifdh al nafs (life and health).
► Third: hifdh al nasl (progeny).
► Fourth: hifdh al aql (intellect).
► Fifth: hifdh al maal (property).
MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE FULFILL HIFDH AL ‘AQL IN THREE INTER-RELATED WAYS► The fourth of the five Major Purposes of the Law (maqasid al shari’at) is protection, preservation and promotion of the human intellect (hifdh al ‘aql).
► For purposes of this paper ‘aql is treated separately from the closely related concepts of ruh and nafs.
► ‘Aql is defined as the sophisticated, free and creative human intellectual faculty that distinguishes humans from other creations.
► Researchers disagree on the seat of ‘aql but for purposes of this paper we assume that the seat is in the cerebral cortex.
► Loss of the intellectual faculty results in loss of legal obligations (ahliyyat al adaa) but not legal rights (ahliyyat al wujuub).
THE 4 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONS► First by relieving physical diseases that affect the proper physiological function of the neurons in the cerebral cortex.
► Second by psychological or psychiatric treatments that restore emotional and intellectual functioning.
► Third by preventing and treating addictions that impair intellectual function and disturb emotional balance.
THE 4th INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND MARGINALIZATION OF AQL► The 4th industrial revolution (computer-based automation and artificial intelligence) is a natural successor 3 revolutions before.
► 1st industrial revolution (machines replacing muscles).
► 2nd industrial revolution (science, technology and mass production).
► 3rd industrial revolution (digital revolution).
HOW CAN WE PRESERVE AQL?► 4th industrial revolution is an extension of the digital revolution and is characterized by artificial intelligence that produces services and products with increasing independence of and marginalization of the human aql.
► In the past the ‘aql was marginalized by addition to alcohol, drugs, music, wealth, sex etc.
► In the 4th industrial revolution, the ‘aql is marginalized by artificial intelligence and social media which between them are the new agents of social engineering.
► The human is becoming an automaton by losing self-control and independence while being fully dependent on good and services produced by artificial intelligence.
► This is therefore an ominous new definition of addiction. The challenge is to research and find how hifdh al aql will handle this new addictive state.
► Can we beat the internet addiction?
► What can we do to benefit from technology but still preserve our independence to think and act independently
► What about the few who write the programs that run our lives? Will they attain complete control over our lives?
► What is the technology collapses one day, shall we know how to return to our thinking and working patterns prior to the 4th industrial revolution?