Document Type : Research Paper
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Abstract
In the present essay, it is suggested that Islam's view on human could be formulated essentially in terms of agency. From this perspective, action and human agency is based on three basic foundations termed as cognition, emotion, and will. The agency point of view with the mentioned components is a hard core that should be seriously taken into account in any kind of theorizing about the human like what is involved in psychology or sociology. Of course, talking about impulsive behavior in the individual or the unpredictability of consequences of integrated actions at the social level is compatible with the agency point of view in the Islamic theory of action given that the above-mentioned hard core is accepted at the bottom. Habcrmas has also seriously taken into account the human agency. In his theory, two models of purposive-rational and functional rationality in system are used. These two models have led to acceptance of two conceptual apparatuses and two methodological styles. The characteristics of these two apparatuses and methodological styles prevent us from considering continuity between them. This is because changing "the actor's view" to "the spectator's view" changes the quality of the subject altogether. Comparing the two theories, it could be said that Habermas's view on the cybernetic explanation of social system is an example of the explanation that is based on assumptions different from those of Islamic view on human. This is because the cybernetic explanation, as Habermas holds, does not care at all about intentions and awareness of agents. In this kind of explanation, it is held that the system itself has an objective entity and, in addition, has particular laws for development according to the logic of feedback and in which intentions and awareness of agents have no place
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