Humanities Homework Help

Based on the material presented in class so far, makea critical assessment ofthe following narrative in an essaycontaining between 750 and 1000 words.

Sometime in the sixteenth century in the parts of west Europe, the so-called rational worldview, based on empirical evidence and one replacing the God-centered view of the world, started to develop. This new worldview, fueled by the development of science and technology, has since marginalized religion in the public sphere there, separated it from state institutions, and created modern political concepts such as the constitutional nation-state (and the rule of law associated with it) and individual rights. It first came to dominate in Europe, then in North America, and finally spread to other corners of the globe. Its spread beyond the West starting with the second half of the nineteenth century, particularly to the Muslim world (but also elsewhere) has been resisted by traditional, deeply religious, technologically underdeveloped, and socially conservative communities. Over the next century and a half, in the Muslim world, this rationalistic worldview has never successfully been able to break the organic link between religion and state. The tension between religion and the so-called modernity in the Muslim-majority states is what is standing in the way of developing the constitutional nation-state and individual rights there. But it is also what influences the mutual perceptions of Muslims and non-Muslims in the West and undermines the ability of Muslims to integrate successfully in western societies of Europe and North America.

It goes without saying that there is more than one way of making this critical assessment. What is accurate in the narrative above? What is less accurate or inaccurate in it? Could there be an alternative narrative of what happened as the world moved away from the worldview based on God to the one based on rational and science-based view? How deep of a change did this shift in worldviews make in Europe and North America? How much of a change it made in the Muslim world? How much of a change that happened in the Muslim-majority states affect Muslims living in the West?

Use your own words as much as you can. You are welcome to draw from outside sources but are in no way obliged to. If you do draw from outside sources, make sure you provide appropriate information about each source you use.

I strongly discourage the use of direct quotes in your essays!

Your essay will be evaluated according to the points breakdown indicated below.

Content

90 points

Style

5 points – spelling/grammar/readability

5 points – overall organization

Good luck!