Formulation of the claim
When ideology and politics dominate the field of knowledge, scientific research is exposed to being used to entrench preconceived positions instead of uncovering the truth.
Explanation
In Arkoun’s thought, scientific knowledge is not merely an accumulation of opinions, but a critical act that requires a relative independence from ongoing conflicts. Research therefore becomes threatened whenever it is asked to prove what has already been decided in advance, rather than to examine reality with a measure of distance and rigor.
This meaning becomes clearer when political or doctrinal affiliations compete with the conditions of scientific inquiry. At that point, the aim is no longer to understand phenomena, but to harness them within a ready-made discourse, which weakens the possibility of free inquiry and limits the force of critique.
Its place in the book’s argument
This atom falls within the broader argument in which Arkoun defends the need for a critical reading of Islamic history and the discourses that interpret it. It reveals that the crisis of knowledge lies not only in a lack of materials, but also in their subjection to external authorities that surround the question and direct the results. It is therefore directly linked to his project of freeing research from instrumentalization and restoring to understanding its status as an independent cognitive act.
Limits of the claim
This atom should not be taken as an absolute judgment on every connection between research and the political context, nor as a denial of all knowledge produced under specific historical conditions. The point is to warn against the domination of ideology over research, not against the presence of public issues in its questions.