Formulation of the Claim
Arab and Islamic societies remain scientifically little known to a large extent.
Explanation
For Arkoun, this claim means that the prevailing knowledge about these societies does not reach the level of precision that would allow a sufficient understanding of their historical, social, and cultural structures. The issue is not a lack of partial information, but a deficiency in producing scientific knowledge that approaches the complexity of reality itself.
This deficiency means that discourse about these societies remains captive to general judgments and impressions rather than grounded in precise study. As a result, their field remains open to ready-made interpretations instead of coherent critical understanding.
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This atom appears within the broader argument Arkoun builds around the need to reconsider the tools used to study Islam and its societies, because the absence of precise knowledge prevents sound critique or new intellectual ijtihad. It is connected to the book’s diagnosis of a crisis of understanding, not merely as a lack of information, but as a flaw in the very methods of approach.
Limits of the Claim
This atom should not be understood as a sweeping judgment that negates everything that has been achieved in studies or knowledge about these societies. It points to a widespread deficiency in precise scientific knowledge, not to its complete absence.