Hampshire College | Don Everhart Darwin and Evolution in the Muslim World from Hampshire TV on Vimeo.
Evolution, Islam, and Medicine: Perspectives of Pakistani Physicians in the US
20:50
13 Nov 2009
Evolution
Don Everhart
Salman Hameed
Don Everhart presents results compiled from interviews of Pakistani physicians at the conference of the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (June 25-29, 2008) about beliefs and attitudes about biological evolution. This was a pilot study for a larger project that included doctors from various parts of the Muslim world.
This lecture was part of a conference held at Hampshire College (Amherst, Massachusetts USA) on 2-3 October 2009 entitled “Darwin and Evolution in the Muslim World”. For a program of the conference, click here.
Evaluation:
There is little here that addresses Islam as a religion. The little that does address Islam is within the bounds of what Muslims have historically understood as acceptable.
The scientific discussion here is accepted by contemporary scientists. One caution, as Everhart notes, is that the sample size was very small.
There is insufficient historical material on which to base an evaluation.
About Salman Hameed
Salman Hameed trained as an astronomer and teaches about the intersections between religion and science. He received his undergraduate degree in physics and astronomy from State University of New York, Stony Brook (1994) and a Ph.D. in Astronomy from New Mexico State University (2001). Hameed went on to become a fellow in the astronomy department at Smith College and University of Massachusetts Amherst before he settled at Hampshire College in 2005. As of 2015, Hameed is an Associate Professor of Integrated Science and Humanities and an endowed chair, in addition to being the Director of the Center for the Study of Science in Muslim Societies at Hampshire.
Hameed’s publications include articles in The Guardian newspaper, the Zygon Journal of Religion and Science, and Religion Dispatches. He also frequently writes on subjects concerning science and religion in his blog, Irtiqa (the Urdu word for evolution). A collection of some of Hameed’s work, including videos, may be found as part of his biography on the Eqbal Ahmed website. His academic profile can also be found through the Hampshire College website. Hameed is also active on Twitter and other social media as of 2015 and has a personal website.
Selected Bibliography:
“About Salman Hameed.” Eqbal Ahmad Centre for Public Education. EACPE, n.d. Accessed 13 June 2015.
“Dr. Salman Hameed.” American Islamic Congress. American Islamic Congress, n.d. Accessed 13 June 2015.
Hameed, Salman. Irtiqa. N.p., n.d. Accessed 13 June 2015.
Hameed, Salman. “Salman Hameed Profile.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, n.d. Accessed 13 June 2015.
Hameed, Salman. Twitter. Twitter, n.d.
“Salman Hameed.” Hampshire College. Hampshire College, n.d. Accessed 13 June 2015.