Creativity of nonhuman animals as narrated in the Qur'an: navigating an alternative path to sustainable development

Solihu, Abdul Kabir Hussain (2014) Creativity of nonhuman animals as narrated in the Qur'an: navigating an alternative path to sustainable development. In: 2nd International Conference on creativity and innovation for sustainable development(ICCI2014), 20-22 Oct 2014, International Islamic University Malaysia.

	PDF - Presentation Restricted to Repository staff only Download (1MB) | Request a copy
	PDF - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (629kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Creativity is a common aspiration for individuals and organisations, and an integral part of the contemporary secular civilisation. The ability to generate novel ideas to solve practical problems in the shortest possible period has been considered a hallmark of creativity. However, in solving our collective human problems, it is common to run into conflict of interests due to our human conflicting mental orientations or cultural affiliations. Even when our human interests converge it might diverge from those of nonhuman animals. The tendency to prioritise the mental mode of operation over, or at the expense of, the workings of other nature’s inhabitants has led humans to invent things largely seen to be creative even when it is ecologically destructive. Creativity that solves an immediate, short-term problem but generates greater, long term problems is anathema to sustainable development. If creativity is seen as part of, or associated with, novelty and problem solving, creative problem solving is then a phenomenon shared by other natural beings. Nature is full of complex problems which are being solved within the network of nature’s constituents and in full compliant with nature’s design. Thus, if only for the sake of sustainability, we need to bring nature along in our conceptualisation of creativity in attempt to counteract the effects of dark side of human creativity. In promoting holistic and collective sustainability, the Qur’an makes references to some animals whose actions or modes of operation and problem solving are novel. This study identifies the creative acts of these nonhuman animals based on account given in selected Qur’anic verses.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Additional Information:	4608/40483
Uncontrolled Keywords:	nonhuman animals, Qur'an
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of General Studies
Depositing User:	Dr. Abdul Kabir Hussain Solihu
Date Deposited:	13 Feb 2015 15:02
Last Modified:	11 Jun 2018 12:47
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/40483

Actions (login required)

View Item