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A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF SANDRA HARDING'S STANDPOINT EPISTEMOLOGY

Silmi, Nadaa Afifah
Abstract
Sandra Harding’s standpoint epistemology critiques the masculine bias embedded in modern epistemology. Through the concepts of strong objectivity and situated knowledge, Harding redefines the criteria of epistemic validation. However, this approach generates new epistemological challenges such as false universalism, epistemic relativism, and ultimately becomes entangled in the very bias paradox it aims to overcome. This study aims to critically examine Harding’s standpoint epistemology from the perspective of Islamic epistemology, specifically through the thought of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas. Using a qualitative-analytical approach, the study investigates the foundational limitations of standpoint epistemology and compares them with the Islamic epistemological framework, which emphasizes the integration of the senses, intellect, intuition, verified transmission (khabar ṣādiq), and ethical discipline (adab) in attaining true knowledge. This research employs a library-based method with a philosophicalcritical analysis. Primary sources include Harding’s key works and major texts from Islamic epistemology, especially al-Attas’s writings that stress the transcendental origin of knowledge. The findings reveal that while standpoint epistemology succeeds in opening space for critique against modern epistemic bias, it fails to provide a solid epistemological foundation. In contrast, Islamic epistemology does not regard knowledge as a mere social construct but as a process of attaining transcendental truth (al-ḥaqq). Thus, it offers a more comprehensive solution to the crisis of objectivity and the direction of knowledge that standpoint theory confronts. The study concludes that Islamic epistemology is not merely an alternative or a corrective to standpoint theory, but a more integrated epistemic paradigm that unites spiritual, intellectual, and social dimensions while avoiding the relativism and ideological bias inherent in Harding’s approach. Future research could explore standpoint theory in relation to other Islamic epistemologies, such as those of Mulla Sadra, al-Ghazali, or Ibn Sina. Comparative studies between feminist and Islamic perspectives on gender, knowledge, and authority would also enrich our understanding of how justice and truth are conceptualized across paradigms.
Publication Details
InstitutionUniversitas Darussalam Gontor
DepartmentAqidah and Islamic Philosophy
KeywordsStandpoint Epistemology, Harding, Islamic Epistemology, Al-Attas
Item ID7720
Deposited03 May 2025 23:54
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